Finding Paradise In Ruins
by raenbc
Summary: When one of The Core Four has a near-death experience, the entire kingdom seems to be in recovery. Auradon Prep kids reflect on what happened, trying to piece together the truth. But they've all learned that nothing is ever just black and white... This story is all-inclusive, so there's the prospect for same-sex couples. If that doesn't fly with you, please refrain from reading.
1. Black and White Stormy Sky

**Hey, Descendants fans! The movie was a surprise favorite for me that inspired this. Since I've had such a warm response for the first piece of Descendants related artwork I uploaded, I thought I'd share this story as well.**

 **All my newer stories come with a WARNING because they deal with heavier topics than my past work. Another area where this story differs from ones I've uploaded in the past is it's all inclusive, which as I stated in the summary means that it deals with the prospect of same-sex couples. (And I say prospect because even I'm not sure of all the couples when I start a story.) If that doesn't fly with anyone reading up to this point, then it is not the story for you and your feedback will not be missed. Please be respectful and keep in mind the rule that if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all.**

 **I'd say that this story is drama over comedy because it starts off at a low point (as Mal's opening narration will explain), and I'd say it has more to do with romance as well as other types of love for those that have read some of my other stories. So that explains the shift in genre for anyone wondering. That's not to say that there won't be funny moments. My stories are always about finding the bright side. Enjoy!**

 **This chapter is dedicated to theorathanatos and anythingabouteverything1 of tumblr.**

 **I do not own Descendants**

8/10/15

 _Our story starts at the part where things unravel. Everything was looking bright, but then that changed. No one saw it coming. Now we're losing hope, like all heroes do when their story takes a dark turn._

 _Problem is, my friends and I weren't raised as heroes. We had to work toward that status ourselves. What if we haven't earned the same privileges? What if we don't catch the same breaks? What if we just found ourselves in a fight we can't win?_

 _One of our own is lying unconscious in a hospital bed. And a so-called hero is to blame for that..._

* * *

Heavy hearts had plunged the kingdom of Auradon into a hush. Even the castle, which was usually abuzz with plans, had gone semi-silent in sorrow. The former king stepped into the room to find his wife at the window, looking out to the Isle of the Lost.

"She knows." He reported in a whisper. Even that made her shoulders shoot up in surprise. His wife hadn't heard him come in.

"All of it?" She asked, turning to him.

They continued their conversation as they held each other. She could feel the vibration as her husband's head shook. "Not who's responsible."

"Of course not. She can't know." He felt a pull as his wife held her hand out for emphasis, then broke away from their hug. "She'd find a way to break through the barrier and-" She trailed off, looking out the window again. Her sorrow now replaced by fear.

"Belle," Her husband said softly, bringing her attention back to him in hopes to calm her down. She looked his way again. "I think we've learned that the people on the island aren't that different from us. Don't you feel sympathy for Cruella?" When he said this, he wasn't trying to make Belle feel guilty. He was telling her she needn't worry about an attack on their kingdom. That wasn't the issue here. "She's a grieving mother."

Belle shook her head, but not because she didn't feel sorry. She couldn't stand to hear that. Practically the whole kingdom was in disarray over this. Even the sky seemed upset, completely clouded, half the clouds dark as if a storm was brewing.

And it was, whether the rain came or not. "She can't grieve what she hasn't lost."

* * *

People piled into the waiting room of the best hospital in all of Auradon by the busload. All the seats were filled, so those who could stand to sit found spots on the floor. Others were up against the walls, watching at all angles for someone with news on the status of the patient. Some had been there since the moment the skids of the helicopter touched the landing pad.

A woman with a clipboard held down at her side marched steadily toward the area. Every pair of eyes there landed on her, but she didn't catch them all.

She saw boys in team jerseys and fans in Auradon Prep school colors. The school's headmistress was there, holding hands with her daughter. Aside from the doctor, the headmistress was the only adult in the room. Most of the others were stuck in traffic on the way there.

An emotional eternity passed before the doctor spoke. She tried to keep her tone even, to avoid getting anyone more rattled than they already were. Or give them false hope. "Family of Carlos de Vil?"

Those seated got to their feet. Those standing took a step forward. The doctor hadn't been expecting such a crowd, much less one so big all waiting to hear about the same person. She sounded mean when she revised her statement, even though she was trying to be nice about it. " _Real_ family."

No one backed down.

The doctor sighed internally. She was just as dedicated to doing her job as these people were to finding out about her patient. "Is anyone with a blood relation to Carlos de Vil present?"

Not a single person sat, but they all stepped back a bit. Their mouths couldn't muster up the words to tell her that that was impossible. Some said it with their glaring eyes.

"With a name like that, I should've figured." She mumbled beneath breath. The glares only got worse.

A voice spoke out from the back of the room. "He's not the villain his mother was." It was then-to her shock-that the doctor noticed she was in the presence of a king. She stared as Ben stepped forward, Maybe it was lighting in the room, but he didn't look like royalty. He looked like a worried sick sixteen-year-old boy. "He's our friend. Please, we just want to know he's-" The king interrupted himself, looking back at the wall he'd stepped away from. Where the girl who wore his ring was standing taller than she felt. He silently cursed the question on his tongue, before looking back at the doctor and asking it. "Is he alive?" His voice was barely there, somewhat stuck in his tightening throat.

It wasn't an order, but the woman took it like one. "Yes, Your Majesty."

The headmistress and her students said nothing, but it seemed that small bit of information allowed everyone to breathe again. The doctor realized that, without Carlos' mother there to relay information to the others, they had all made the trip there to hear for themselves. Only one person would get the official breakdown. Only the king would hear the details. It was up to him who he shared them with. They may only ever hear the aftermath of what happened.

The doctor felt she owed them all the short version. "It will be a few days before he can have visitors… and awhile before he wakes."

Another voice was heard, tone so sharp the doctor felt physically hurt. "How long is awhile?" The girl who posed that question was with Ben. The doctor's guilty pleasure between call times was skimming through the tabloids. This girl, Mal, graced recent covers with the king. Her friends, two of which were next to her and one who the doctor had been charged with caring for, had only ever gotten as much as a bottom left corner. That's why she hadn't even known their names.

The doctor couldn't give a definite answer. "It could be several weeks."

A few students began to protest, but she ignored them even as the headmistress tried to get them under control. The doctor signaled for the king to follow her down the hall.

As Ben walked, he turned his head to look back at his friends for a second. They all watched until he disappeared from view. Angry over what they knew had landed Carlos here, confused over what they didn't know, and sad the young king had to hear all the graphic details without moral support.

* * *

"I _hate_ Chad." Mal was sure she had uttered those words before, because Prince Charming Jr. had turned out to be royal jerk. Now the words bubbled up like acid in her throat, and she meant them with every fiber of her being. She spoke over the sounds of a dog whining. On a regular day, the noises would've bothered her. Today she understood.

She looked around Jay's dorm room, where all but one of her friends sat. She wasn't sitting with them because she'd be pacing the floor. Her green eyes landed on Ben. They looked as cold as her voice sounded. Her hands were going in every direction, showing she was losing grip on her emotions. "I am _so_ glad you had him locked away Ben, because if I'd gotten to him first… I would've-"

"I know." Her boyfriend interrupted. That in itself was brave. She wasn't surprised that he cut her off. He was too good-natured to even let her say the word 'kill'. He was sure she could, but not sure if he could get that thought out of her mind. He felt he had to try, though. What he said next shocked everyone in the room. Including himself for admitting it. "I wanted to," He assured. "so I know."

Audrey's jaw dropped.

Doug shifted in his chair.

Evie reached for Doug's hand.

Jane nervously grabbed at the tips of her hair.

Jay licked his lips, and in that moment no one could say if that meant he felt just as bloodthirsty.

Lonnie scooped the dog up into her arms. Only then did he quiet.

Mal knew why Ben spared Chad. If he hadn't? "Then you'd be just as bad as him." She said softly, seeing him nod.

If they were allowed, the friends would've slept on the floor in Jay and Carlos' room that night. They only had until curfew to stay together. And the kid king had even less time. Ben felt an obligation to get back to his parents. After that day's event, he couldn't bear to leave them childless. Even just for a night.

"I have to go." He said as he stood, giving Mal a quick kiss on the cheek. It was the kind of thing that used to make Audrey cringe. She could only smile in that moment, glad they had something to treasure in the midst of a tragedy. With that thought in mind, the smile on her face was a knowing one.

"Bye, Ben." Doug said, sounding like a lot more than his throat was sore.

At the sound of his name, Ben turned back toward his friends from where he stood under the doorframe. "I've never really given a speech before." None of the other kids had been present when he made his first proclamation. What he was about to say was nowhere near as thought-out. "I know… how it looks," He began, making Lonnie look down at the dog in her lap. The two of them knew better than anyone in the room. "and I know… how it sounds." Ben went on, failing to curb a sob. He had yet to tell them what he heard from the doctor. An edge entered his tone, and he couldn't tell if he was simply fed up over what happened, or because he kept crying about it. He had always been an emotional person, but now he had a kingdom to lead. He wasn't sure a speech could be inspiring if there were tears streaming down his face as he said it. What he didn't know was that those tears helped him break through to his friends better. "But from the second he got here, Carlos has been defying expectations. I don't think he'll stop." Ben's friends knew what 'stop' meant in this case. They knew then the doctor told Ben that Carlos may not survive. Evie cried out, and it sounded as if someone had struck her. Others gasped softly, and Lonnie looked around to see doey eyes and desperate hands curling into fists. As if grasping for something out of reach. "I don't think we should stop either." These were Ben's final words of the night. Meant as a reminder for the others not to become less of themselves in their friend's absence.

The problem was, they already had...

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! I have TONS of ideas for this, so there should be an update soon (especially since my first chapters are always just introductions), but I'd love to hear your as well. Especially on characterization for the doctor caring for Carlos. Speaking of characterization, let me know how I'm doing with that for the others. As well if there are any spelling/grammar/phrasing mistakes. (I said 'call times' even though that's more of an actor thing because it's just a different kind of showtime.)**

 **Feel free to ask me any questions or tell me any theories you may have. I'll update ASAP! =]**


	2. Tearing Seams and Coma Dreams

**This might be one of my quickest update time to date, because I was SO thankful for the response the first chapter got I felt I owed that to my lovely readers.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to** **kjay15, HufflepuffGleek, immahater123, Mythluver, Guest, Romantic Dreamer 13, Chibistella, neko skyress, Chocochino11, BenlosAllTheWay, JL4030, Chibi-Twan, TokioJapon, Zakuya Kanbara, animestorylover1621, Utopia Avius, latinagirl-reader2010, kleoloppa, soul wolf 112, TrisJacksonEvans, Couragexoxo, Darkmaster of the arts, Neko249,art-is-a-bang-yeah, Shadow315 and stonegirl.**

 **If I missed anyone, please let me know. I'm hoping the number of reviews lines up more with the number of readers this time around, but that's just this storyteller's wishful thinking.) Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

The rain pelted the windows so hard that Lonnie was worried she would see the glass crack. She only had a few minutes to spare before she had to get back to her own dorm.

Jay wondered why she hadn't left sooner. The others went soon after Ben, barely knowing what to say. The word 'Goodnight' seemed mocking, so they bit their tongues to stop it from slipping.

Lonnie was known for being vocal, but her wish went unspoken. She placed Dude down in his usual spot on Carlos' empty bed. Thinking that the dog was a lot heavier than he looked. Of course, that only became apparent after holding him for so long.

"Take him." Jay insisted, startling her. Not because of the tone of his voice. There was nothing threatening about it. It's just that these were the first words Jay had spoken in hours.

She tried to turn her argument into a joke. "But he's your roommate."

Jay shut that down immediately. There was no room for malice in his flat tone. "He's my roommate's dog." The look on Lonnie's face was one of regret mixed with relief. She was sorry that her effort to cheer Jay up had backfired, but knew his response could've been much worse. "I'm not the most gentle-" He went on, trying to say that she was the better caretaker.

Lonnie didn't see how he could think that. "...You know him better."

By her tone, Jay couldn't tell if she meant Dude or Carlos. He based his answer on the assumption that she was talking about the dog. "He hasn't left your side since we got here. He's made his choice."

In submission, Lonnie hid a sigh and picked Dude back up. Leaving the other bed empty again. It was then that Jay noticed the dog's paws. At first, he held his tongue about it. Until she reached the door.

"Lonnie?" She turned around, expecting for Jay to say that he'd reconsidered. Instead, he asked: "Why's he missing a nail?"

The sad eyes that met his then had seen the dog scratching wildly outside the hospital doors. "They wouldn't let him in."

* * *

"Your presence has been requested, sire." Ben didn't have to guess who called for him. He walked with Lumiere, down to the castle dungeon. Which had been out of use for decades. "Shall I stay?" Lumiere offered, opting to give Ben the moral support he was deprived of before.

At first, all Ben managed to do was shake his head. Lumiere took that as his cue to leave, so the king's sudden utterance of "Thank you" was said to his back.

The man turned to look at Ben before continuing on. "Of course."

A tunnel stood between the king and his prisoner. He began his march down that tunnel with the grace he'd had at his coronation, but along the way he lost the rhythm and was practically charging at the cell.

The tunnel was lit by lanterns. Some flickered like a cheap imitation of the lightning outside.

Chad's hands came into view before his face did. They had a firm grip on the bars in front of him. His knuckles were white. His fingers were bare, the ring he wore gone. Dirt was under his nails.

Dirt he carelessly let fall into the small cup of water on the tray by his feet. He'd left the cup untouched. Along with the apple next to it.

Ben wasn't known for speaking harshly to anyone, but he was filled with anger. Knowing what those hands had done. "Whatever you have to say, say it quickly. We have to get to bed." The king said 'bed' because he wasn't sure how much sleep anyone in the castle would get. If any.

Chad moved forward, knocking the cup of water over in the process. The tray clattered, and the apple rolled off to a corner of his cell.

His eyes set on Ben. Both bloodshot, and one obviously blackened. His mouth quivered slightly before forming words, all coming out in short spurts. "I get that you… think you're doing what's right… for the kingdom." He scoffed softly at the idea, then said: "But I'm no good in here."

"The evidence says you're no good anywhere." The response was so blunt, Chad felt as if he'd been physically hit by the force. His black eye twitched.

"They found my ring. All that proves is that I was _with him_." Chad closed his lips to hide his gritted teeth. They wouldn't help his argument.

Neither would what he just said. "The doctor told me everything." Ben told him. The look on Chad's face suggested he knew where this was going. He suddenly remembered his mistake. The mistake that gave him away. With a sigh, Ben went on: "She said… the imprint of your ring…" He held up the back of his hand, as if his own ring was still there. Before balling his hands into fists and making Chad flinch. Ben didn't sound like he was ready to throw punches. His voice broke again as he finished his thought. "it ended up… on the side of Carlos' face." Not only had that been proof enough for the doctor, it was the best lead in the investigation so far.

The look the king sent his prisoner then suggested he couldn't understand why he would do that, much less leave his friend in such bad condition. "So don't try to tell me you're innocent. I wish it were different," He admitted. "but some people just... don't wanna change."

There was disappointment behind Chad's dark stare. "That's not what I'm trying to say. I'm _not_ innocent, but…" He trailed off, feeling like he wasn't being heard anyway. Ben watched as he took his hands off the bars and stepped back into the darkness.

"Hiding now?" It sure seemed that way. For Chad, the only thing he was hiding was the realization that this dark, dank dungeon was the only place in Auradon where he was safe. Everything else was written on his bruised face.

"How come they got a chance, and I don't? You don't know what they've done." To Ben, what Carlos and his friends had done before they got to Auradon didn't matter. That scared Chad. That meant his king was convinced he already knew everything he needed to.

"I've heard what _you've_ done. You could've killed him." Chad didn't answer. Even when Ben revised his statement. Eyes crying, spit flying. "YOU _ALMOST KILLED_ HIM!"

A pause was filled with one shuddering breath from Chad, then he said: "I'm not getting a chance to state my case." Like he accepted it. "Am I?"

"You will." Ben countered. Though many would say that was more than he deserved. "Once Carlos wakes up." With that, he turned his back and started walking away.

Chad stifled a gasp, so it came out like a wince. "When Carlos wakes up, he won't be the same."

If Ben turned his head, he would've sent a death glare into the darkness. Except he wouldn't show Chad the decency of facing him again.

All Ben had left in him then was a rhetorical question. "That's your fault, isn't it?"

* * *

Rain had a reputation for lulling people to sleep, but this storm was keeping Auradon wide awake. There was still much work to be done. The kind of work that wore the doctor and her team out. She didn't complain, though. She never complained about her job. She knew how important it was.

Aside from the victim and his friends, she felt bad for the authorities. Their clues would get washed away. Once the rain let up, they would have a waterlogged crime scene on their hands. Though, knowing where Carlos had been found, she imagined they'd been somewhat prepared for that.

What she couldn't imagine was that anyone in the kingdom felt the slightest bit of sympathy for Chad Charming.

* * *

Cinderella stood at the doors leading to her balcony, her husband by her side. He was eying her worriedly, hoping she wouldn't step out into the storm.

They'd been together long enough that she knew what he was thinking. She didn't want to add to the stress they were feeling, so she explained herself. "I was just remebering the crowds that used to gather down there."

She'd been looking for a distraction, but she hadn't found one.

He knew why. "The largest crowd we ever drew was when Chad was born."

In agreement, she said: "If he was here now, it wouldn't be called a crowd."

Her husband knew what she meant. "It would be a mob." They spoke calmly, and that scared them. It was like they were hardly affected by something that had rocked the kingdom.

"Ben is wise beyond his years. He wouldn't have ordered our son to be locked away unless he saw the need for it." She peeled her eyes away from the balcony and aimed her focus on the man beside her. Speaking the darkest thought on her mind at the moment. "When this is all sorted, I hope we can still see Chad that way." From the little the couple had heard about the incident, their son seemed like a stranger.

Charming went to take his wife's hand, just as she went to cross her arms. So, instead of holding her hand, he ended up placing his on top of it.

"I should've talked to him sooner." Cinderella said regretfully. "When Carlos and the others first arrived in Auradon. I didn't have to tell him the _horror stories_ of my life before we met." She phrased it that way because that was the sort of thing other people said about her when they thought she wasn't listening. "Everyone knows those stories. Like I'm some legend."

There were legends all over the land. Since the heroes had the privilege of telling the stories, Chad had only known the villain kids by their parents' reputations. "He must've felt like his life was being invaded." Not that that was an excuse.

"He acted on one of my worst fears." There were times Cinderella had been tempted by the darkness that surrounded her. "He became the kind of monster he was running from." Instead of slowing down to see that Mal, Jay, Evie and Carlos weren't monsters.

"He hurt them before they could hurt him." It was tough to follow logic like that, but it took distance for Chad's parents to see the truth. Even though it pained him to say so, Charming added: "I think that's been going on for longer than we realized."

* * *

The weekend dragged by. The silence that had surrounded the kingdom let up with the rain. Rumors spread through the halls of Auradon Prep, but only around the dorms. Students stayed clear of classes because they had yet to hear word on whether or not they would resume.

There was a knock at Fairy Godmother's office door. So early in the day, she knew it could only be one person. "Come in, dear one."

Jane complied. She didn't stop in the doorway. In fact, she didn't stop until she was in her mother's arms. She knew she was guaranteed a hug, and was more comfortable silently asking for that then answers her mother couldn't give. "What's happening today, Mom?" That was easier than asking what had happened days ago, since no one knew all the details. Most only had their speculation.

"I'm going to leave that up to you." Her mother told her. "I was debating whether or not to cancel classes." Jane may have known that her mother was no more well-informed about Carlos' current condition than almost everyone else at the school, but that didn't mean all the students were aware of that.

Besides, canceling class might only intensify their curiosity. "No, you can't!" She was remembering what Ben said, and she agreed with him. A break from routine was not what her classmates needed.

"Okay," With that one small word, Jane could tell her mother wasn't expecting her to react so strongly. She had to admit, if only to herself, that she could say the same. "but we'll all need to take it slow with this weather we've been having. Plus, some people haven't gotten much sleep since."

"You said that last part like you have someone in mind." Jane's eyes shifted, as she wondered whether or not her mother had heard the late-night conversations she'd been having the past few days.

Fairy Godmother nodded, and that only made Jane more nervous. If she did get in trouble, she hoped part of her punishment wouldn't mean she was barred from making hospital visits.

Though her mother knew full-well how attached Jane had been to her phone these past few days, she wasn't looking to punish her for it. So, she didn't even bother to bring it up. "Jay's been wandering around campus… after curfew."

"Oh." Jane felt somewhat relieved, but there was worry in her voice. For her friend.

That last part of what her mother told her would've been the worst thing about it under different circumstances. Fairy Godmother didn't care about the curfew violation. "So far, he hasn't left the grounds..." She didn't have to finish her sentence.

With that, Jane understood that this wasn't about rules. Her mother was now concerned for the well-being of two of her students.

"He can't be the only one who's hurting." Jane was surprised she came up with a response so quickly. She didn't think she knew what to say, but she knew it was important to say it. "Other kids need to know that… it's okay not to have all the answers. We're gonna figure this out."

* * *

The conversation Jane had with her mother led to a school assembly before classes. The headmistress told her students that didn't have many answers for them. There was no doubt that the _Auradon News Network_ would put their own spin on things. No matter what information was leaked, she hoped they would all keep their heads high and keep working hard. And if they had moments where either of those things seemed impossible, she would understand. She would be there to help.

In the front row, she saw her daughter sitting with her friends. She wondered if any of her words were making an impact. They hardly moved, holding their gazes straight ahead. She hoped that some of her encouragement broke through.

Especially because, in her mind, she had the easy job. This couldn't compare to the way the day started out over at the Golden Flower Hospital.

With no speech prepared, the doctor knew her colleagues and her charge needed some urging. Even though the latter was unable to answer her back. "Okay, team. We're going on day four. Stay with us, Carlos."

* * *

Classwork had distracted Mal and her friends from the conversations going on around them. They'd kept their heads down half of the day. Lunch had them looking up, but not in the good sense. It was hard not to notice the criticism being thrown their way. They were blameless, but others were tired of bouncing theories off each other, when someone who knew the facts was sitting feet away.

Mal's eyes seemed to be set in a permanent glare, in response to looks being sent her boyfriend's direction.

"It's alright." He insisted, after a short time. He'd been expecting this treatment.

"No, it's not." Evie answered for Mal, since she just continued to stare. Pretending not to hear.

Doug backed Evie up. "We're all dealing with this."

"They don't get to take it out on you." Jay said. Ben said nothing, but he didn't seem to agree.

Lonnie saw Jay's side of things. What she said next was more of a hope than a fact. "You'll tell us when you're ready." Her eyes were aimed underneath the table instead of at Ben. She was checking up on Dude.

Ben was still silent, and wouldn't speak again until everyone at the table looked at him. Evie gave Mal a gentle tap to get her attention, and she finally broke her glowering gaze. When her eyes settled on Ben, they were much softer.

A knot formed in his stomach when he realized that did nothing to help. Though they weren't trying to, the people who understood him most were putting pressure on him. It was hard enough for him to listen to what happened to Carlos, and soon he'd have to repeat it.

"This might not be something you wanna hear." He told them, sad and slow. Then he looked down at his tray. Empty aside from an apple. That brought his mind to the rotten one in Chad's cell. He remembered that the storm hadn't done enough to stifle the sounds of the boy slamming himself against the bars in a fruitless effort to break free.

"We know," Audrey agreed. "but we have to."

* * *

The weekend weather left the Tourney field untouchable for awhile. No one went near it. Even once it dried, the team wasn't sure they'd have the strength to step onto it. It would still feel empty.

In the gym, the cheerleaders-who were by no means in a cheery mode-were getting ready to practice. Friday's game had been postponed, but it would have to happen sometime. And they needed to be their to show their support. All of them.

Audrey had gone off sometime earlier, and none of the others knew where to find her.

Jane offered to go look, keeping in mind Ben's mission. He wanted everyone to stay who they were. That was proving challenging for everyone.

Skipping practice wouldn't help the effort.

"You're not gonna yell at me, are you?" Audrey asked, when she heard Jane walking toward her.

She was standing where no one else had dared to go that day. Smack dab in the middle of the kill zone, to be exact.

Jane almost laughed, figuring Audrey had no clue who was behind her and just didn't want to get in trouble. Either for skipping practice, or being out on the wet field, "Have you ever heard me yell?"

Audrey nodded. Though it was hard to tell, because her head was bowed. Her arms were folded across her chest like she was trying to warm herself. "At the coronation. That counts, right?"

The memory filled Jane with shame, but she couldn't focus on that. She needed to get Audrey back inside.

Jane stepped onto the field, talking as she walked to be in line with where the other girl was standing. "Yeah, but why would I yell at you?"

When Audrey spoke next, her own shame filled every word. "I used to give people a lot of reasons to wanna yell at me."

" _Used to_." Jane echoed, feeling like it wasn't much of an argument.

Audrey still wouldn't meet her eyes. "Ben's right. We can't put our lives on hold," Carlos didn't have a choice in the matter. "but it's so much easier to _say that_ than it is to keep it from happening." With that, she turned around, looking right at Jane. "Unless it's only happening to me."

"We all feel it," Jane countered calmly. "but we're all trying. "Look at you. You put on your uniform."

She brushed that off with: "Well, my feet hurt."

"If you can get through practice. If you can even just… come back with me and watch-"

"I can't go in there." Audrey interrupted. "The sooner we get through practice, the sooner we're out here gearing up for the game we had to postpone." She pointed to the wet ground beneath her.

"That's gonna happen with or without you." Jane wasn't trying to be harsh about it. She was saying the cheerleaders could really use the support of their captain.

Audrey knew that, but something didn't seem fair about it. "It shouldn't happen without Carlos. Didn't Jay say he was like the brain of the team?"

"Technically, I think he said he was like _his_ -"

"How many things do you know of that can function without a brain?" Audrey was hardly yelling, but Jane wouldn't shut down even if she had been. She couldn't do that.

So, she answered the question, which was meant to be rhetorical. "Starfish, jellyfish... and sponges, I think."

There was a pause, and then Audrey added to the list. She still had a point to make. "Also anemones, sea urchins and coral." The slightest smile formed on her face at the word 'coral'. She liked the dusty rose coloring of some. "You know how I know that?" Despite how upset she was, her tone was almost playful at that point.

"Carlos taught you."

"Yeah." Both girls had seen the proof that he had a lot more to teach. "I didn't even know coral was an animal. I thought it was just some type of rock."

Jane raised her eyebrows in response. "I get it it. He's not here, and nothing feels right."

Audrey appreciated that Jane came to check on her. She appreciated that she tried to see inside her mind, but she hadn't exactly hit the nail on the head. "That's not just it." Her voice got lower, like the energy was draining out of her.

That had Jane scared, along with the instinct that Audrey was holding something back. She looked hurt from not having heard what that was, but remembered why she'd been sent out there. "You're allowed to be upset," She reached to place her hands on Audrey's shoulders, and only did so when she saw the girl step forward in acceptance of the touch. "but you don't have to be alone in all this."

"Carlos is." That's why it felt so unfair.

Jane wouldn't let that make her falter. As true as it felt. "Soon he won't be. They can't keep us away from that hospital room forever. They're up against a king, a princess…" She said that word as if she understood the weight of the responsibility that came with the status. The more she spoke, the less Audrey could keep from smiling. "a magical prodigy, a _master_ of stealth, a glamour goddess…" Jane meant that in both senses of the word. Evie was armed with her magic mirror, which could arguably be outmatched by her charm. Jane went on with: "A girl who's itching for a fight," Even if Lonnie didn't look it. Jane was looking to finish strong, but suddenly realized she forgot to include herself. "the Fairy Goddaughter…" The label was one kids used to tease her with, but when she said it then, she was owning it. "...and Doug."

Oddly enough, that last part was what lead to them hugging. Audrey couldn't help it. She had to laugh. "If Jay's the master of stealth, I'm pretty sure Doug is the apprentice, because he can get in close without people noticing."

"Not to mention he's probably the smartest guy at this school, next to Carlos."

As the girls broke apart from their hug, Audrey nodded in agreement, adding: "And if all else fails, he can distract them with stories about his uncles."

"Exactly." Jane said, giving Audrey a direct look and mirroring her smile. "Together we're unstoppable."

* * *

"Maybe you don't have to tell everyone." Mal said to Ben, as they stood by her locker. The schoolday had ended some time ago, but she was just getting around to putting the books she didn't need for homework back in there. "Maybe you can just tell me, and I'll relay the message."

To Ben, that was taking the easy way out. "I can't put that on you, Mal. You're one of his best friends, and… I'm supposed to be leading this kingdom. He didn't feel like he was doing a very good job in this time of crisis.

She couldn't accept that. "Nothing's a one-person job. Everyone needs support from somewhere. Telling me can be… practice." She knew where he stood on that when he answered with a question.

"Here?"

Mal watched as other students walked by, barely paying the two of them any attention. The halls were virtually empty by this time, and it seemed that they had stopped pestering Ben. "It'll keep me in check." That meant she had a feeling this would make her cry, and she wouldn't let other people see that.

Ben didn't want to make her more upset than she already was, but he felt it was worse for her to keep her feelings in. "Are you sure?"

Mal misinterpreted the question. "It can't be worse than what I'm imagining."

Hearing that, Ben didn't want to keep her guessing any longer. He had to come right out and say it.

He reminded himself to breathe, and thought of how to list the afflictions. He decided to go through what was easiest to swallow first. "He has a few bruises and cuts. Two broken ribs," He saw her breathe in then, looking like she could feel the pain Carlos would if he were conscious. "the tests hadn't come back yet, but they think he might have a concussion." Mal's focus was dead set on Ben, but her mind's eye was imagining Chad doing all this damage. "He…" Ben didn't expect to pause, but he remembered that what he was about to say was something Mal had experience with. And that wasn't the worst of it. "He almost drowned."

" _Stop_." It wasn't a scream, more like a squeak. Mal knew there was more, but she no longer wanted to hear it in the middle of the hallway. Ben was almost glad for the interruption, even if her suddenly small voice was heartbreaking to hear.

Some things were still ambiguous, even to the hospital staff.

* * *

"Had enough?" Jay asked when Lonnie showed up at his dorm room door, Dude in her arms.

She shook her head. "He's good company, so I thought we'd pay you a visit." She wouldn't say it out loud, but she tasked herself with taking care of him as well as the dog.

He stepped away from the door and let Lonnie come in.

She passed Dude over to Jay, and he tried to look as sour as possible over the immediate shower of dog kisses he received. Lonnie could see that Dude wanted to take care of Jay, too. Licking wounds that couldn't be seen.

She looked to the window and asked: "Find anything good out there, yet?"

Jay's sour expression suddenly turned suspicious, but that was his way of fighting off the wave of paranoia that hit him then. "What're you gettin' at?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

She saw that as teasing rather than threatening. "You've been out there every night since it happened. I figured you were looking for something."

He answered that with a question. "You know?"

"Lots of people do." She could see he didn't want to talk about that, so she went to change the subject. First, she felt the need to say: "Nobody blames you."

He knew she was talking about his late-night walks, but that made his eyes flare up. "Just Ben, right? They can't get an answer out of him, so they look at him like _he's_ the one who beat Carlos unconscious."

Lonnie shuddered at the same time Dude whined. No one had said it so plainly up until then. "They've let up." She said in the other students' defense. Then she switched gears while he simmered down, putting Dude on the floor so he was free to walk around the room. "So, the game's this Friday?"

"Won't be much of a game. Work we can handle. Fun just seems wrong."

A little out of place, sure, but not off limits. Lonnie put her head in her hand, trying to look at this logically. "He's an overachiever, right? Youngest in your class. Seems like he doesn't even have to try for it?"

"Yeah, so?"

That hand that had been under her chin was now outstretched along with the other. "So, let's make the whole thing a game." Lonnie told Jay, managing an enthusiastic smile. She was glad to have something to strive for. "Give Carlos a challenge for when he comes back." Jay said nothing, but he seemed the slightest bit curious. "Now you _really_ wanna know what I'm gettin' at, huh?"

That was true, but it wasn't what he said. "What I really want is to do is pay a visit to the dungeon in Ben's castle and-"

"Jay." Lonnie interrupted, scared to hear the rest. He looked at her, sensing that. Her fear was wiped away by a hope. "Chad _will_ get what he deserves."

* * *

All the rain had left the bleachers covered in tiny puddles rather than droplets. Doug and Evie brought blankets to sit on, his green and hers blue. They sat together facing away from the field. Since there was nothing on there worth seeing anyway.

They'd been talking about the day they'd had. The things they learned, and what they missed while their minds were elsewhere. Halfway through the conversation, her eyes wandered to the concrete beneath the bleachers.

Following her gaze, Doug immediately regretted making the decision to sit where they were. He knew he had to tear her focus away from there before it started to tear her apart at the seams. "Evie."

She snapped out of it quicker than expected, looking back at Doug. "It's okay," She insisted. "I wanted to face it."

" _Why_?" To him, it was like she was torturing herself.

"It's the worst part of all this…" She said with a shake of her head. "for me." She made sure to clarify, knowing each one of her friends was suffering through something in the aftermath of the attack. Some more secretly than others. "That I could ever be interested… in someone who'd do that..." She was going to end her sentence there, but decided against it. "To one of my best friends." Her voice broke as she added: "To my _first_ friend." The pain in her voice was reflected on Doug's face in that moment.

He hadn't known that much.

What he knew was that he wouldn't let her mistake be a fatal one. For anyone. "You weren't really interested in Chad. You _thought_ you were interested in fitting into a life that… wasn't yours." The kind of life her mother had to leave behind. He said it like it was the most logical thing in the world to him, and that brought her comfort. "You didn't know what you could be. _I_ didn't know what _I_ could be. We taught each other."

She agreed. "We're still learning."

* * *

Over at the Golden Flower Hospital, the team was discussing what they'd learned about the mysterious scar Carlos came in with. Which was next to nothing. They'd never seen anything like it. "It looks like a burn mark, but contributed to his hypothermia. What sense does that make?"

"None." The doctor said bluntly. It was the injury that bothered her, not her colleague's analysis of it. "Any connection to the old scars on his leg?"

"Doesn't seem to be. Those were cuts. Deep, too." The group collectively shivered.

"I'm glad he got off that island." The doctor said, seeing members of her team nod.

"He's too fragile for a place like that."

"It's not like comin' here made it any better." Another argued.

"At least here we can save him." The doctor pointed out. "He's a sweet kid," She could tell that by the turnout the day he arrived. "That doesn't mean he's not strong." She looked over at her patient. If it weren't for all the bandages, tubes, wires, and machines, it would seem like he snuck in there to get a restful sleep. "I hope he made some good memories while here." She said, ready to crack open every medical book in the kingdom to find a clue about this mark that had burned on the outside and froze on the inside. "Something to keep his mind occupied."

Of course, they were monitoring his brain activity. It got higher at nighttime.

* * *

 _The blue comforter kept out the cold. The matching pillow had found its way to the floor sometime during the night. The empty house creaked like ghosts were trying to sneak their way into the fur closet._

 _Bare feet made their way to the floor-to-ceiling window._

 _In it, a small boy caught a glimpse of his reflection. Which seemed different than he remembered. He shrugged that off._

 _He never looked at himself too long._

 _Outside, something else had changed. A ray of red sunshine slipped through a crack in the permanently overcast sky above the Isle of the Lost._

 _The closest thing to home Carlos had ever known._

 _Somehow, everything about it seemed brighter..._

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! Carlos is my absolute favorite, so the coma dreams give him a bigger part in the story. I didn't want anybody to be too confused about that, so I put it in the title.**

 **I decided the doctor should be related to a Disney character in some way, so I figured I'd poll you guys on who she should be related to.**

 **Let me know if you have any ideas/theories/questions/corrections, and if there's anything you want me to elaborate on. I'll update ASAP! =]**


	3. Chance and Choice

**Hey there, my lovely readers! (Sorry this is late, even though it's only hours after the deadline I set for myself.) I call this the bridge chapter, because a lot of little clues have been dropped. Some connections will be made next chapter. Chapter four is always were a kick it up a notch for a story.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to Nicholas Dreamer, CaptainBat, Aliicatt, kjay15, TokioJapon, pinksakura271, emerald23dragon, BlueTogi12, Kariko-chan, ans90jas10, pinkcrazyness, shaeanalise45, vyrn, iloveanime2009, yakuza511, Coraline Hearts, Lyra Mae Rose, EmmyBearlovesHelen21, jensenpotter and Phsycotic Vodka. Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

It had been days since Mal had a dream for Ben to show up in.

Nightmares had plagued her mind four nights in a row. Images of lady bugs on birch trees, and poinsettias blooming in ashen snow.

Her mind's eye would break focus from that little bit of life, and she would be forced to face the death that haunted her. The death that hadn't happened.

Each night, Evie had to remind her. "HE'S _NOT_ GONE!" She'd said, over Mal's cries.

The sounds were akin to keening. The girl who never cried had her cover blown four times over.

By Tuesday morning, it seemed Mal had run out of tears to shed. She knew most of the details of Carlos' condition at the time that Ben was first briefed on it. Which allowed her imagination to stop running rampant.

Her subconscious mind took her back to one of her favorite spots: the Enchanted Lake.

She was admiring the beauty when her boyfriend's voice rung out worriedly. "I don't wanna be here." Once again, Ben sounded like the child that adults tended to forget he still was.

"What's wrong, Ben?" Mal's mind spoke the words, but her dream self heard them out loud.

He looked like he was the one responsible for leaving the place in ruins. The words that left his lips then, spoke nothing for the guilt he felt. He didn't trail off in the middle of his sentence. He simply stopped three words in. "This was where."

If he'd had more to say, he was interrupted by the end of Mal's sleep cycle.

* * *

"Prisoners have _no_ right to be picky." Cogsworth said in his stuffy way.

"Perhaps 'picky' is not the right word." Lumiere replied, as he filled a small basket with all the apples Chad had refused. Some still looked certified fresh, and others only had minimal bruising. Much like the prisoner who had rejected the fruit for slices of bread. "Perhaps Chad wishes not to be reminded of his sins. This could be the same reason he refuses to sleep."

The scoff Cogsworth let out then had the sting of a swear word. As did the echo of the prisoner's name. "If _Chad_ felt any remorse for what he's done, he wouldn't try to stage a jailbreak every night."

Lumiere laughed as he rearranged the apples. He'd hardly call knocking into the bars a jailbreak. "When the lanterns go out, he must forget how close the bars are."

The other man countered that with one flat word. "Repeatedly?"

The castle seemed to shake every time the boy's body collided with metal.

He'd been chided for it, but didn't speak a word in response. He stopped after awhile each night, presumably because he tuckered himself out.

Lumiere had dropped the argument, and nearly dropped an apple when he went to silently count it for a third time.

Watching this, Cogsworth grumbled, then yelled: "Stop contaminating the apples!"

The other man laughed this off, and put his hands down. He was still eying the basket questingly, counting in his head.

An apple had been offered to Chad each morning, and collected again each night after two return trips down to the dungeon to find that he hadn't eaten. The bread he had afterward was more of a late-night snack then a meal because of this.

When this morning rolled around, it was decided that Chad would no longer be offered apples.

"Sorry, it's just that…" Only four apples were in the basket. "one's missing."

* * *

"You slept soundly." Evie commented to Mal in the hallway before classes. There was something of a smile on her face, like she was reaching to have the look reflected. She wasn't so much surprised as she was grateful. It was a tough job between shaking Mal awake, avoiding being hit by her flailing arms, listening to her cries, calming her down and warding off whoever whispered about it around the dorms afterward.

She was finally able to stop and sigh in relief, and guilt crept into her as soon as she allowed herself to do so.

Mal's eyebrows raised. "Finally. Sorry for putting you through all that." She expected Evie to be the one to cry, but-as far as she knew-she hadn't shed a single tear.

It scared her that Evie was forced to act as 'the strong one'. Mal knew he honorary sister was strong. She didn't know she could be so in control of her emotions.

She didn't think she could lose control of her own like that.

Evie didn't want an apology. Knowing Mal could close her eyes without a horror movie playing behind them was peace enough. "I just had to watch. You had to _live_ it."

Mal shook her head. "That's not our reality. I can't believe I got so wrapped up in something so impossible." She looked ashamed, but Evie saw it another way.

"You can't get out of your own head."

Mal knew she was right about that. "Ben painted the ugly picture for me. Well, most of it. Now I don't have to keep dreaming up an uglier picture."

Evie was stunned stoned-faced for a second. Mal thought she would be upset that Ben hadn't waited to tell the group what he knew, but she wasn't. "Does he know about the nightmares?"

"Maybe." With all that had been going on, Evie wondered if Mal could remember having that conversation. Before she realized that she didn't have to, the way some students were talking. "He showed up in my dreams, but I haven't figured out if it was just my projection of him or _actually_ him."

Evie's eyes went wide. For the first time in days, she was actually excited about something. "Can you guys do that? Can you _share dreams_?" She knew Mal didn't have an answer. She'd just proven that much.

"I hope I figure it out soon." Mal admitted. "We were at the Enchanted Lake, but he said he didn't wanna be there. He said: 'This was where." It didn't sound any less mysterious when she repeated it aloud.

"Where what?" Evie asked. "Where it happened?"

Mal swallowed a sigh. "It doesn't make sense, E. Carlos has never been out that far."

He never had a reason to be.

* * *

After school, Audrey was all set to leave cheer practice and head straight to Jay's dorm room. All of Carlos' closest friends were waiting for her there. She guessed that Ben had worked up to telling everyone the damage.

She kicked off her sneakers. With no one else around, she didn't see the point in being polite about it. She watched as they sprawled across the floor. One landed in an upright position, the perfect bow the laces formed looking like the one in her hair. The other one was on its side. Its bow had lost one loop, so it looked like the sneaker was dangling by a string.

Audrey stared at the spot were the sneakers were, debating whether or not to bother picking them up.

She reached for one, surprised to find herself cradling it in her hands. She'd never been so rough with her footwear before. She didn't see that as very princess-like.

Leaving the other sneaker where it lie, she backed up a few steps to the bench behind her. She placed the sneaker down on it and then opened up her locker, taking out two markers: One black, one red.

With the black marker, she drew two lines on the sneaker, an equal distance apart. Between the lines, she drew an oval in red.

She was looking at black and red on white, but her memory replaced the colors with yellow on blue. Biting her tongue, she capped the marker and got back to changing.

* * *

"What took you so long?" The words were said with quiet curiosity, given who they came from.

Audrey looked at Jane, who-unbeknownst to her-had been waiting outside the locker room.

"You'll see soon enough." Audrey answered. It sounded like she was avoiding an answer, but that was actually a promise.

The girls were the last to reach Jay's dorm. The door was open, but only a crack. Audrey inched her way in. Jane followed behind, closing the door after them.

Ben stood at the front of the room. The others sat on the edge of each of the beds.

Jay was between Mal and Evie.

Doug and Lonnie looked like they'd been reluctant to sit. Dude seemed content, all things considered, being back in his spot.

"Do you guys wanna…" Ben began softly, gesturing in front of him.

In response, Audrey squeezed in next to the kids from the Isle, and Jane sat with Doug, Lonnie and Dude.

"Before I say anything, I wanna thank you guys for being patient with me." Ben told the group. His hands were laced together in front of him.

Most simply nodded, but Jay said: "We can only be patient so long." Ben knew this wasn't a criticism. Jay made it clear he stood with him. He was just warming him that he was running short on patience.

The king understood completely. "I know. And I have to say this now. Because we've been cleared for hospital visits."

"When?" Multiple people voiced this question.

Ben had the answer prepared. "Tomorrow afternoon."

It felt wrong to be excited, but excitement was hardly there. A wave of fear washed over the group, and they wondered how they'd handle seeing their friend in his condition. Though most in the room had no clear picture of what that condition was.

"So, lay it on us." Jay urged softly, cutting through the silence.

The first time around, relaying this information showcased Ben's sensitivity. In trying to avoid that, he sounded sort of stoic. With a systematic way of speaking, like the kind the doctor had used. "He's got cuts and bruises, two broken ribs, and a possible concussion." Ben watched as jaws dropped and faces fell. "He almost drowned, and as a result of that, he had hypothermia."

Before then, the group thought that only villains were versed in the art of overkill. Ben could tell his friends had decided that Chad was the exception to that rule.

As tough as delivering that message a second time had been, and as tough as he tried to make himself look, Ben was secretly glad in that moment.

Glad that the beast in him had managed to show restraint.

It seemed like Lonnie's defense mechanism kicked in then, because she found herself softly saying: "Is that all?" This wasn't a joke, though. The comment was meant to make sure of that, but it also showed she was shocked by just how much Ben had to list.

"There's something else," He admitted. That was the easy part. He know when he continued, he ran the risk of seeing looks that mirrored those sullen students had sent his way in recent days. "but even Dr. Porter isn't sure what to make of it."

Doug was first to offer a comment, because everyone else didn't want the distrust they suddenly felt to sound like it was directed a Ben. "She didn't even have an educated guess?"

If she had one, she kept it to herself. "Not one she shared with me."

Mal shook her head and blinked back a glare at the same time. Ben expected to be met with anger, even if it wasn't meant for him. Until he heard her speak, sounding hopeless. "If she doesn't know what's wrong with him, then she doesn't know how to treat him."

Evie knew Mal's mind was drifting back to her dreams. She didn't want that happening again.. "It's been days, and he's healing." To the hospital staff, that meant defying expectations. To Evie and her friends from the Isle, it meant Carlos continued to be the fighter they knew he was,

* * *

"Remind me again why you look so formal. He won't be able to see you, sire."

"It's the principle." Ben explained to Lumiere as he fixed his tie.

The man's tone went from bright to blunt, as he eyed his king's reflection in the mirror. "Is going to see Carlos on your own principle, too?"

Ben frowned. Being reminded of the secret he kept made it impossible for him to smile. Not that he'd been doing much of that, lately. "Yes." He turned away from the mirror, ready to leave the castle. He just had to finish this conversation first. Getting through it without feeling guilty was already a lost cause. "If I can handle this, we all can."

"Won't it feel like a betrayal if your friends find out?" Rather than a test run, which is what the hospital staff considered it.

At first, all Ben said in response was: "Probably." What he meant was, there was a high likelihood his friends would find out. He didn't _have_ to face this alone. Ultimately, he chose to. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Don't tell anyone, but I hardly know what I'm doing."

To his surprise, Lumiere laughed. "I never understood this tradition." He admitted. King at sixteen. It seemed unreal, and not in the sense that it was something out of a fairytale.

Ben sighed, and he sounded relieved. "I'm glad you, my parents, and my friends still see me as a kid." He quickly revised that statement. "Still see me for what I am."

Instead of thanking him for saying so, Lumiere responded with: "I'm glad you're able to remember."

Although he was still slowly making his way toward the door, Ben felt obligated to admit: "There are some parts of this job that I wish I could forget." He was thinking back on days before and shortly after getting his crown, but the man in front of him had something else in mind.

"I know you haven't been back down in the dungeon since Friday." Almost like a reflex, Ben's eyes found the floor. Like he had a clear view straight through to Chad's cell. He looked back up again when Lumiere finished his thought. "And I know why."

"Why?" Ben was aware of his own reason, he just wanted to see if Lumiere's matched.

"Your mother encourages that you listen to your heart." Lumiere began, locking eyes with Ben. "Right now, your heart is saying something your head cannot comprehend."

Ben said nothing in reply, but the fear that flashed in his emerald eyes was an answer in itself.

* * *

The hospital felt empty without the others, even though there were plenty of patients being cared for besides Carlos. Some smiled as the king passed by their rooms, but otherwise went about their own business. That reassured Ben that his visit would go undiscussed, but their behavior surprised him for another reason. He was used to being mobbed. Now more than ever. He supposed they just didn't want to waste energy.

Or maybe they saw him as he was, too. A friend checking in. His being there was no big deal for the patients.

That didn't make it any less frightening for Ben. He needed to push through his pain, knowing Carlos' pain was far greater. The support of one friend for one time was not going to help him heal fully.

Dr. Porter greeted Ben when he reached the room. (He was surprised to find her there, considering Carlos no longer needed constant care.) "Your Majesty." Since it was less of a hectic day, she noticed him squirm over the title.

"You can call me Ben." He insisted.

She nodded. Not just to say she was aware of that, but to show she wouldn't make the mistake of calling him something different ever again. She preferred to keep her title. Calling her 'Doctor' rather than using her first name would only save a syllable, but ever fraction of a second counted in her place of work. "This can't be easy for you. Plainly speaking, it's probably the _worst_ tragedy to hit Auradon in twenty years. Are you sure you're ready, Ben?" Her eyes were on him, and the blue-green color reminded him of the Enchanted Lake and jungle treetops.

He answered her question honestly, which was nothing short of what she expected. "I'm sure I have to be."

* * *

The first few minutes of Ben's visit were slow-moving. At first, it seemed he wouldn't make it past the doorway. He'd stood, stuck there, staring sadly at his injured friend. The breakdown of Carlos' condition hadn't been warning enough.

He looked better than Ben had been told, since days had passed. Knowing what he did, it was easy for the king to assume that his friend looked nearly lifeless upon arrival. That thought brought no comfort. Progress did nothing to hold off the hurt.

Minutes turned to hours. Then Ben left with the setting sun.

Dr. Porter and her team continued to work, trying to make sense of Carlos' scar. Every clue they thought they found led nowhere. Every book might as well have been blank. By nightfall, the boy's brain activity continued to climb.

* * *

 _Loneliness had begun to set in, edging out the boredom Carlos already felt. His house seemed spotless, like no dust had landed on anything in all the time he'd slept. He knew he should've been relieved by that, but waking up to a clean house was not typical on the island. In fact, it was almost impossible. Especially for the son of Cruella. She always left the house a mess on purpose, just to give Carlos more work to do._

 _Didn't she?_

 _It's not that he missed that. It's just what he was used to. A break from routine seemed like a reason to panic. Except, Carlos didn't have the energy to panic. Somehow, he woke up tired._

 _He supposed he wouldn't mind having nothing to do, so long as someone was there to do nothing with him._

 _By someone, he didn't mean his mother._

 _He decided that if his friends didn't show up in the next five minutes, he would try tinkering in the treehouse. Though he didn't really see the point. He couldn't even remember what he was working on, and he doubted he'd be able to keep his eyes open long enough to finish it._

 _Even so, he eventually realized he couldn't keep track of the time. He settled on going outside just to get some air. It wouldn't be fresh. Air on the Isle never was._

 _The climb up had become effortless. Quick, too. Once up in the treehouse, Carlos didn't focus the little energy he had anywhere. He hardly even looked around. There was never anything good to see._

 _Until three pairs of feet came into view at the base of the tree._

* * *

"Thank you for talking with us." It had been days since Cinderella had heard any voice other than her husband's. Since the two of them were sitting in the headmistress' office, it almost looked like they were in trouble.

Fairy Godmother gave a slight nod in reply. She knew there wasn't much she could say, but the couple seemed content to have someone share in their silences. That was the least she could do.

"It probably seems cowardly," Charming began, obviously not proud of what he was about to say. "but I think we'd both like to leave before classes start." If he and Cinderella stayed until the halls of Auradon Prep were full of students, they would be stared down by judgemental eyes.

The headmistress knew that was what they feared, and she had something to say about it. "What happened to Carlos has _nothing_ to do with your parenting."

It was silent for a second as the couple's eyes glazed over. Cinderella said: "That's abundantly clear." This made Fairy Godmother see that they wished they'd done a better job.

They felt responsible for Carlos being attacked.

Fairy Godmother felt responsible for making sure they didn't. (In her eyes, the day Cinderella married her prince was the day she became Fairy Godmother to them both.) She placed each of her hands over one of theirs. "You can't let guilt eat away at you. Especially when… we're not even sure what to feel guilty about."

"Do _you_ think our son is capable of something like that?" He'd been wrestling with the thought, and it seemed to be winning.

Fairy Godmother was startled to find that her mind took her back to the coronation, where her daughter took her wand from her. "I think that, when pushed, people can do _terrible_ things."

Cinderella wasn't sold on this. She'd been pushed several times throughout her life. "Even given where he's from, Carlos doesn't seem like one to _push_."

* * *

By the middle of the week, Lonnie and her dance team had had plenty of rehearsal. The others didn't know when she walked in-with 101 written on the back of her shoe in a show of solidarity with the cheerleading squad-she was about to change the play.

"You guys probably aren't gonna like me for this. We just got our choreography down, but… I think we should do something different. As nice as this is," She began, as she gestured down to her pointed foot. (That's when the others noticed Dude was standing next to her, instead of in her arms.) "it's just not enough. I've been thinking of a ton of new stuff, and it's gonna be the toughest choreography I've _ever_ tackled. Some of it's probably impossible, and only makes sense in my head." She admitted, before pausing. Her next sentence was meant to make a lot of impact, but halfway through she realized a passion-driven performance would score better than a guilt-driven one. "Even so, I think we owe it… to ourselves to try."

* * *

After dance, cheerleading and tourney practice ended, a pretty sizable ground headed over to the Golden Flower Hospital to visit Carlos. Most were there to witness a sad, silent game of stone, scroll, sword when they heard the catch: One at a time.

After growing up together on the Isle, others expected Mal, Jay and Evie to be somewhat in sync. Not to the point where they were up to their fifth game without a winner, though.

On the sixth game, Evie won.

Although they didn't say so, Mal and Jay decided they prefered it that way. They wanted her to be first to see Carlos not because they felt afraid to, but because that just seemed right.

The decision had been left up to chance. Mal urged Evie on with "You're up, E."

To everyone's surprise, the blue-haired girl rejected chance. Her brown eyes searched the room until she saw a certain dancer standing at the back. "I think Lonnie should go first."

The girl spoke softly, but felt flabbergasted. "Me?" As if the group knew any other Lonnie. "Why me?" Her confusion was over being chosen to go first, not the reasoning behind it.

Evie understood that, and she wasn't about to go back on her choice. "You know why."

* * *

Over on the Isle of the Lost, things were in more chaos than usual. Word about the incident had spread, even though it was only worth a blurb on the _Auradon News Network_ at this point. It threw the place even more out of balance than when Carlos and his friends left to attend Auradon Prep. Not to mention the goblins left months after, having being pardoned by King Ben.

The people on the island weren't more bitter than usual simply because they had to get their own morning coffee. Auradon was supposed to be greener grass. The way those on the Isle saw it, Carlos had been robbed of ever having a fairytale experience again.

Some never thought he deserved one in the first place, but they kept that to themselves.

Others acted out more than usual.

A brave few offered Cruella de Vil their sincerest apologies. She would've seen it as out of character, had these strangers not said 'sorry' like it was some eulogy. For her, that was a whole new brand of evil. One she wouldn't hold her tongue about. "Stop saying that like he's _dead_." She'd delivered similar statements several times since Friday, although she'd never been so quick to defend him before. The words started out sounding like barks, but now had dissolved into growls.

One girl didn't have 'sorry' to say.

"Cruella." She called confidently, over the sounds of a crowd in the market that didn't bother to whisper their theories about what happened to Carlos.

The woman whirled around like she was ready to start barking again, but wasn't sure who to face.

A voice worn by mental age had spoken up, but the sound didn't match the girl's size. Cruella had to look down to meet her eyes. "What do you want?"

"To tell you I hope Carlos gets better," The girl began. She paused, in case the woman let out a scoff. She didn't want her to miss the next part. "he owes me an apple." The girl watched as Cruella narrowed her eyes, and didn't feel the least bit threatened. In fact, she grabbed the woman's wrist to place something in her hand. Cruella had never known a gentle touch, but supposed that it only felt that way because the girl's hand was warm. Something atypical of people on the Isle.

The girl took her other hand from behind her back and put the apple she was holding in Cruella's palm. She left her with these words: "In the meantime, you can have this one."

Cruella could've thrown the thing on the ground and went on her own way, but something was weird about it that caught her attention. Sure, it was rotten. As were all apples on the Isle. But it was also dried.

Cruella examined the apple, and her eyes were immediately drawn to a sight that-even in a place like this-a mother could not mistake: Her child's teeth marks.

Nothing was supposed to scare this woman, but knowing she accepted a 'gift' from a girl with a mind more twisted than the adults on the Isle shocked Cruella to her core. She let the apple fall from her grasp. When she watched it roll a bit-still too stunned to move-she noticed something far less scary.

Something the girl had added herself. Cruella picked the apple up off the ground and looked at the other side, to find crossbones carved into it.

Cruella didn't want a reminder of what the world she was barred off from had done to her son. She had enough of those.

Looking closer, she realized that wasn't what the apple was meant to represent. Especially considering the words the girl had etched in underneath. _Long Live_.

No other words followed. Not _Evil_ , for what he used to be. Or what he thought he had to be. Not _Good_ for what he had become. Or what he always had been.  
This gift, ruined upon first glance and revamped upon second, stood for everything Carlos was. And everything he could be.

* * *

The number by the door of the hospital room matched the one written on the back of Lonnie's shoe. It had to be a coincidence, she couldn't see why the hospital staff would see the importance of surrounding Carlos with familiar things.

Which isn't to say that she didn't.

She braced herself before opening the door. Her eyes scanned the floor, then found the empty chair she was meant to fill. Before she could muster up the courage to look anywhere else, her mind was flooded with a memory. Her feet suddenly hurt, like she stepped back into the moment.

* * *

" _Slow down! I can't keep up with you!"_

 _Lonnie worried either she or the bridge she ran across would collapse at any moment. She needed to catch her breath. She needed to rest, but Dude hadn't stopped running since he found her. Whatever the dog needed her for, it wasn't good._

 _She was only halfway over the bridge when the dog skidded to a stop, wanting her to see for herself. She turned her head to follow Dude's gaze, and felt as if her heart dropped into the water._

 _In actuality, it was her phone that dropped. Which meant she had a lot more running to do._

 _Her legs went numb along with her fingers, but she didn't stay frozen for long._

 _She scrambled to where she saw her friend lying limp. Her bare knees scraped across stone. as she crashed down alongside him as she cried out: "CARLOS!"_

 _She got no answer, but she hadn't expected one. He looked like he couldn't breathe, much less speak. And he felt so cold._

 _Lonnie's efforts to revive him went unawarded. She knew she would have to leave him._

 _She wasn't the only help he needed._

* * *

The difference was night and day. Tears welled up in Lonnie's eyes again, but it wasn't like when she first found him. She remembered feeling like she wept into every open wound. Now he'd been patched up, and it seemed like the bandages were holding him together.

It was a great relief to see his chest rise and fall.

The hospital gown he wore was light, crisp and clean. In contrast to the weighted, wet tourney uniform he was found in. The clothing the hospital had provided matched his hair.

Lonnie didn't see a single speck of red on him.

* * *

"I didn't know you like coffee. Especially not without a little cream or sugar."

"I don't." Ben informed the person who served him.

"Ah, for the girlfriend. Very nice. Best of luck to both of you in the next few weeks."

Ben's attention had been focused on the side of the paper cup, which had a picture of a goblin on it. That was his answer to who supplied the hospital with their coffee.

He looked up and said an automatic "Thank you." Since he hadn't heard what was said, he meant that about the coffee.

He delivered the cup to Mal, grazing her arm with his one free hand to alert her of his presence.

She took the offering she hadn't asked for with a faint smile. She needed something to hold her over until it was her turn to visit. Evie was in line for second, and Lonnie's twenty minutes were not yet up.

"How's the coffee?" Ben asked.

She shrugged. She hadn't tasted it yet. She took a sip, and her little smile disappeared. She felt like she was back on the Isle, and her impatience only grew. "Still tastes like mud."

* * *

While Carlos' classmates waited to have their visits, Fairy Godmother stayed outside with Dude. He sat on her lap. She pet his head, wondering what was going on inside it.

The dog had been the first to find Carlos in his fragile state. Next to Lonnie.

That girl had become this dog's primary caretaker in his owner's absence. And in his absence, she had not slowed down.

Lonnie was doing more of what made her her in the aftermath of the attack. Fairy Godmother wanted to be happy about that. She just didn't understand how it was possible.

Not with what she knew.

* * *

 _Friday late games were a boarding school perk, as well as a treasured tradition. There weren't just fans for the boys on the field. Groups gathered to join in the cheering and enjoy the dance performances. It was always a high-energy and happy atmosphere, and nearly everyone was a part of it in some way._

 _Including Fairy Godmother. She would be there to watch, encouraging everyone playing and performing. Or, at least, that was the plan._

 _Until Lonnie burst into her office. The girl made her way to the desk so fast, her arms would've been flailing if they weren't folded behind her. She was talking at top speed. The woman understood every word because she was used to that whenever her daughter was flustered._

 _"Carlos is hurt real bad, he's not breathing, his pulse is barely there!" Panic pushed the words out, and that panic was reflected in the woman's eyes._

 _Her voice was almost demanding, but that was her way of keeping it together. "Where is he?"_

 _Lonnie didn't hesitate to say, but she looked lost as to how she left that part out. "The Enchanted Lake."_

 _Immediately after that reveal, their conversation was put on hold. Fairy Godmother phoned for the help Carlos needed. Once that was done, all she wanted to do was find Jane and head to the hospital._

 _But she had to take care of Lonnie, too. The girl tried to stand still, but her legs were shaking. That the headmistress could understand. There was one thing she didn't, though._

" _Lonnie?" She had to break the girl from her thoughts. She watched as her head inched up again. The tears were gone from her eyes, and they were wild with worry. The woman asked: "Why are your hands behind your back?"_

 _The worry in Lonnie's eyes turned to guilt. She brought her shaking hands forward to let Fairy Godmother see the reason she'd been hiding them._

 _They were covered in Carlos' blood..._

 ** _Who ends a chapter like that? I'm a terrible person, I apologize. Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! Let me know if you have ideas, questions, theories or corrections. I'll update ASAP! =]_**


	4. Mimics and Mirrors of Memories

**This update happened quicker than expected. (And there was some left over stuff I couldn't squeeze in, so I already have some of next chapter mapped out.)**

 **This chapter is dedicated to shazzygirl, fhrulz21, MarvellouslyWondrous, un-known savior, pinksakura271, ckg96, Darkmaster of the arts, SoccerKnight5510, PixelHD, Black-Autumn-Rose, Blackjack the Nargle, kjay15, redhoodfan, Guest, Make war not love. war is fun, Guest, Ziu, biankies, Ency Peterson, 31 Light's Lady and TokioJapon. Sorry if I'm missing anyone, I was checking reviews at school this week and that messes with my notes.**

 **I hope this kicks things up a notch. Enjoy! =]**

 **I do not own Descendants**

"The Golden Flower Hospital's higher staff allowed visitation for friends of patient Carlos de Vil to begin today." Most of the group in the waiting room looked up at the television screen to see Snow White was reporting from just across the street. The group looked amongst themselves as their friend's picture came up on screen. The sight was enough to make them miss some of the broadcast.

"He _hates_ that picture." Mal said, disgusted.

Evie, who had just returned from her visit, walked over to take the seat Mal was leaving. "I know." She agreed. "He doesn't even look like him. You know what I mean?"

Mal nodded, as did a few others. Then the purple-haired girl went on her way.

"I bet Mal could've drawn a better one." Jay thought aloud, looking over at Evie. She noted that he'd been looking anywhere but the TV.

Instead of asking about that, she nodded. "She wouldn't need to though. Audrey probably has tons of pictures on her phone."

Jane had her attention split between the broadcast and her friends' discussions. She couldn't help letting out a little giggle at that. Evie took the sound as confirmation.

Evie's focus went back to Snow White when she realized Jay had nothing more to say on the subject. She caught the last half of a sentence, but guessed the reporter was talking about Carlos and Chad.

"...neither of the boys showed up for tourney practice. We're told now that both boys had been excused," Once again, the group exchanged glances. They had known that about Carlos. Everyone assumed Chad had neglected to show up to practice, not that he had permission to skip it. "but they _were_ expected to play in the game. The game was postponed due to the alleged attack, and will play out this Friday. Without Chad, the Knights still have many star players on the roster. But Auradon students and faculty consider Carlos-the underdog-to be irreplaceable. For Auradon News Network, I'm Snow White, Wishing Carlos a healthy recovery."

* * *

The woman many considered to be the fairest in the land had a voice that carried. It didn't help that someone in the castle had the television set to what sounded like the highest possible volume.

Snow White's words dripped down to the dungeon, and seemed to cover the walls in Chad's cell. Her voice filled the air and made it feel thin. Every sentence said spread the smile on the prisoner's face wider. The broadcast was a good addition to his constant state of discomfort.

Still, he knew it wasn't enough.

* * *

"Jay, you're up." Mal informed, Her voice was lower than before she went in for her visit. She wondered if maybe he didn't hear, because he didn't move. He didn't even look at her.

Mal's glance moved to Evie. Both girls looked concerned. Until their friend stood up.

"How was it?"

No one had thought to ask. For the most part, the only time they talked was when the news was on.

Before she answered, Mal rested one loosely closed fist on her palm, and titled her her head a bit. "It was quiet."

Jay nodded, and she gave him the gentlest of pushes to send him on his way.

He had one clear destination, and wasn't expecting a detour. Along the way, he caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

He hadn't noticed that she'd gotten away from the group. Most kept close, so he felt a pang of hurt knowing she left.

Before he figured out she'd only done that so she could get a drink of water.

He adjusted his eyeline, looking down at her. "Hey, Cadence." Her name fell from his lips in that flirty way. The voice he used on most of the girls he knew.

He watched her eyes roll behind the black frames of her glasses. The movement was playful, though. He could tell. "Hey, Jay."

"How're you doin'?"

She spoke through a sigh. "As good as everybody else is doing." She would've responded that way any day. The difference was, while the group was at the hospital, it felt bad to feel good. "Am I holding you up?" The way the kids divided their time, their wasn't much time they could let go to waste.

Jay was sure Cadence wasn't the reason for his hesitation. "No." He insisted, as he saw her rest her hands on the wheels of her chair. He took that as a signal that she was ready to head back to join the others. He looked toward the door to Carlos' room.

Suddenly, he felt like he had no voice to give the thought that entered his mind.

Cadence couldn't let it go unspoken. Not after seeing the look on his face. Because of where they were, she could only think of one way to phrase what she asked next. "What else is wrong?"

* * *

Upon Jay's return to the waiting room, Ben knew he was next to visit Carlos. That he could handle.

What he couldn't handle was Mal's encouragement, since she thought it was a new experience for him..

He kept his glance on her hands, fearing his expression would give him away. The couple's fingers laced together.

Her whispers were aimed at his ears. "Whatever you see, it isn't on you." The way she phrased that told him two things: She knew everyone looked at Carlos through different eyes, and she knew Ben was still questioning if he was truly fit to lead Auradon.

For Mal, there was no question.

Ben managed a slow nod, though his head felt like it was meant to be moving in a different direction. He looked at his girlfriend, surprised when she moved to press her forehead against his. As if they didn't have an audience.

The moment dissolved when she let go of his hand, so he could go off on his own.

Ben had been down this stretch of hallway before, but the walk seemed longer the second time around.

* * *

"This is getting us nowhere." Dr. Porter said, close to seething. She looked like she was ready to throw the book in her hand at the nearest wall.

"I figured that _Charming_ kid fought dirty," One of her team admitted. "but this is ridiculous." Resources were dwindling, and now there was only one book left for each member of the small team to read through.

They'd scoured for even the smallest clues, but couldn't add those clues up into anything that would help explain the scar.

Another team member tried to lighten the mood with a joke. "It would be easier to just _ask_ Chad what he did." No one laughed.

Dr. Porter had something to say about that, though. "If we're still lost on this by tomorrow afternoon, I'll honestly consider doing just that."

She walked out of the room to go check on her patient. He was still stable. He was recovering from a confirmed concussion. He was responding told of his treatments well, but that scar told the doctor her job was far from done.

Something kept hope alive for her, though As with every night before, Carlos' brain activity continued on its steady climb.

* * *

 _The treehouse didn't keep hold of Carlos' interest once Mal, Jay and Evie arrived. He climbed down and followed them back to the Bargain Castle, where he found something not technically lost. It was buried in the back of Maleficent's freezer._

" _What's that?" Evie's voice chimed in from behind him._

" _Like he knows." Mal dismissed with a scoff._

" _I do know." Carlos countered. Though he wasn't sure how. He turned to face his friends, who each eyed him with what he perceived as mild suspicion, "Here, it's a cookbook." Along with being tired, he was awfully hungry. Though he was used to that._

" _What do you mean 'here'?" Jay asked._

 _The small boy shrugged, moving around the kitchen. He could feel the weird looks on his back again. Even before he said: "Over there, it wouldn't be."_

" _Why do you care about over there?" Mal asked. Her voice was hardly harsh, but for some reason that question brought on a wave of pain._

 _He turned to look at her, but his energy was still elsewhere as he turned his hand to switch on the oven. (To his surprise, it actually worked.) "Never said I did."_

 _Every so often, he glanced back at his friends. They looked as lost as they tended to when he worked on the majority of his projects._

 _When it came time to open the oven again, he watched their eyes go wide. The noses took in the smell of something foreign to them. Their mouths watered for it._

 _Carlos let the cookies cool before dividing them up into fair shares._

 _This only earned him more looks._

" _I could take these all for myself." He teased, hardly getting through the sentence before the others' hands started swiping at the different corners of the tray._

 _He put the tray down, wanting to soak in the moment they took the first taste. How else was he to know he was a good baker?_

" _How'd you know how to make these?" Mal asked. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was half full._

 _"I read the instructions." After that, they didn't ask anymore questions. He guessed they just wanted to enjoy their treat, without wondering where he found the ingredients. He was glad they didn't ask. He couldn't really remember. "Sorry they don't have any chips." The word felt funny on his tongue._

 _Evie let out a laugh. It sounded strange, like he hadn't heard it in awhile and forgot what the last time was like. "First you share, and now you're saying 'sorry'? What's up with you?"_

 _Villains weren't supposed to act that way. Carlos didn't say so, but he supposed he'd forgotten that, too. How was that possible?_

 _Apparently, chocolate chips weren't the only thing he was missing._

* * *

It was like being caught in the act of stealing, but the only thing Jay stole was time. His walk was interrupted when he made the mistake of going past Fairy Godmother's office. He stopped when the light turned on inside.

That was all he needed to know that she was watching him.

He took his hands out of his empty pockets, and made his way back to his dorm in the dark.

* * *

Chad had to act fast, before someone dropped off his breakfast Thursday morning.

Before he did anything, though, he had to build up the courage. He looked down at the apple in his hands. He barely wanted to touch it. It had gone soft with rot, and he couldn't let it be completely destroyed.

The apple was his only way out.

That thought sparked a memory. Something that happened on this day, the previous week.

* * *

" _Are you following me? Or do we just happen to be going in the same direction?" Chad hadn't bothered to turn around. Instead, he barked at the open air in front of him._

 _His shadow took a third option. "I'm trying to make sure you're not lost." Carlos replied. "There's nothing out here. You should get back to school."_

 _Chad turned on his heel, surprised by the expression on the younger boy's face. His eyes looked almost pleading. Even from halfway across the bridge._

" _I'm not needed there." Chad said with a small scoff. He didn't even think about how he was wasting breath._

" _Jane needs you." Carlos countered._

" _She's perceptive. She can handle a stupid scavenger hunt. Besides, she probably doesn't even want my help." A twisted smile formed on his face. "Who would?"_

 _Carlos seemed unsettled, and he wasn't shy about that. "You're scaring me." He said, walking slowly toward Chad._

 _That twisted smile turned into a frown full of mock disappointment. "Probably wasn't smart to admit that." Chad exaggerated a shrug. "Guess you're just lucky I don't care enough to exploit that fear."_

" _Come back to school." A command was something he'd never heard from Carlos._

 _He tried to play it off like it was no big deal. "Are you gonna drag me there if I don't?"_

" _If I have to." By this point, Carlos was so close he could've stepped on Chad's foot._

 _He was sure he tried to laugh, but nothing happened. That pleading look from before had intensified. Chad narrowed his eyes. "If you're so scared, why are you stil here?"_

" _I don't have to say it." Carlos told him bluntly. "You do."_

* * *

Chad hadn't gotten the chance to speak. He wasn't even sure if what he had on his mind the day before this all went down was still an issue. But things like that didn't just go away.

His latest problem wouldn't just disappear, either. His only hope of seeing beyond the bars in front of him rested in his hands.

His grip had tightened just slightly. After a controlled breath, he did what he'd planned on doing since Friday night.

He sunk his teeth into the rotten apple.

The taste filled every inch of his mouth, threatening to kill each taste bud. It was worse than he had imagined, but he couldn't care. He had to keep eating.

He wouldn't stop until he reached the rotten core.

* * *

Darkness surround Mal. She tried to open her eyes, but the scenery didn't change. She felt a presence beside her, but had no reason to panic. She knew who was next to her. She knew that sense of warmth.

"What's down there?" She meant besides Chad's cell.

"Nothing I wanna face." Ben told her, with reluctance in his voice.

"A monster." She decided.

He laughed. "You mean like a beast? Like me and my dad?"

"No, you're lovable. I was thinking more like a dragon."

Ben sighed heavily as one of the lanterns flickered back to life, hanging lower than the prisoner's head. "I wish. A dragon would be easy to face."

After what felt like a blink, Mal had to adjust her eyes to the light that filled the room. She knew she had been dreaming.

She'd never been in the dungeon before.

Mal sat up to find Evie applying makeup in the mirror. "Another restful sleep?" The blue-haired girl asked her reflection.

"Yeah, but a weird dream."

"Weirder than the last one? That turned out to be _true_?" Lonnie told the group where she found Carlos, but hadn't spoke about it much beyond that.

Mal nodded. "I was with Ben again. In the dungeon. And he basically said that Chad is worse than a dragon."

At this point, Evie was done with her makeup and turned to face Mal. "Probably because he was frozen when we went up against one."

With a laugh, Mal said: "I'll have to ask him what he really thinks once he gets here. He's coming to school today, right?"

Since Evie tutored him from time to time, she sometimes knew about Ben's attendance before Mal did. "He didn't say he wasn't."

* * *

"Why do this? Why _miss school_ to do this?"

"I won't miss much." Ben assured his mother. "I'll go as soon as I'm done. Besides, leaving the cell like that is undignified." Seeing the look Belle gave him, he didn't retract his statement. He just added to it. "And unsanitary."

He went down to the dungeon. Chad was waiting there, with vomit in the corners of his lips. "Shame the bucket can't fit through the bars." The prisoner said, wearing a self-satisfied smirk.

Ben reached for the key. Before turning it in the lock, he warned: "Don't go too far."

Chad scoffed, slowly making his exit from the cell. "Like castle security would let me."

* * *

"Shouldn't you be cleaning up your own mess?" The former king asked Chad, who was too busy browsing the library to look at him when he talked.

There was a pause, like the prisoner had to process the question. "Oh, you mean down in the dungeon?" Chad made his selections, then turned back to face the former king. "Your son's way too nice for that. I guess he figured I suffered enough." Another smirk graced his now-clean lips.

"Can't imagine where he got that idea."

Chad found the man's dark tone amusing. "I'm a pretty messed up kid for an Auradonian, right? It's like I was born in the wrong place." The beast in front of him looked like he was in agreement. "Here's a million dollar question: Why didn't you advise the king to send me to the Isle as punishment?"

"We have to hear the whole story." Adam reasoned. "That includes your side."

"Oh, _come on_. Everyone knows there's three sides to every story." Chad held up three fingers for emphasis. The dirt under his nails from nearly a week ago remained. "As long as Carlos is in that coma, you don't care about my side. And I'm fine with that."

The man didn't see why any sane person would be. " _How_?"

"The longer I'm down there, the clearer I think. It probably comes as a shock to you that I think at all. But now I don't have much else to do." Somewhere in the middle of that explanation, Chad dropped his cocky attitude.

Which prompted Adam to ask: "Is that why you want those books?" His index finger was pointed at the stack of three Chad picked out.

"No," Chad countered. "these are for you." He passed the books over, ignoring the confused glance he was given. "I only have a few more minutes above ground." Chad smiled again, but something was more off about it than usual. "Besides, there's bad lighting in the dungeon. It'll hurt my eyes." He said, pointing to the one that still had a smudge of purple around it.

"I know these villains' stories." Adam argued, not seeing the point of reading them.

"You know what you've heard."

"What am I supposed to do when I finish reading, present you with a book report?" The man asked flatly.

The conversation was interrupted when the door swung open behind them. It was time for Chad to go back to his cell.

The prisoner's parting words to Adam were: "Speaking of books, I'm sure the _super-smart_ doctors have put this together by now, but… they've been looking in the wrong ones."

* * *

Doug and Evie walked hand-in-hand, on their way to something the group had put off for a week. "Do you feel up to it today?" He asked her.

"If everyone else is." She decided. "I might just have to take it slower than usual. I didn't get much sleep last night."

That came as a surprise to both of them. "I thought once you saw him getting better, it would be easier."

"So did I. Did you hear me yesterday when I said that picture on the news didn't look like him?" He nodded. "Seeing him like that, I got the same feeling."

"Me too."

By this point, the school's olympic-sized swimming pool was in sight. Along with all their closest friends. Except two.

One absence was accounted for. The other was questioned. "Where's Jay?"

"He had to go talk with my mom." Jane informed Evie, seeing concern creep into her brown eyes. "It shouldn't be a problem anymore." The headmistress' daughter tried to make that sound assuring. But at this point, she could only hope.

* * *

"My reputation probably tells you otherwise, but I'm _not_ a flight risk."

Fairy Godmother thought Jay's late-night walks around campus would stop after his first visit to Carlos' hospital room. Unfortunately not. "That's not what this is about. You're losing sleep. Your grades are suffering. That's a pretty clear indication that you are, too."

Jay disagreed. "We didn't suffer. We aren't now."

The woman seemed sorry she misspoke, but she wasn't changing her mind about him breaking the rules. "I won't punish you, Jay. But I strongly suggest you find something that doesn't just help in the moment. Something that won't hurt more than it helps."

"Like learning to swim?" He'd wanted lessons to be over with already, but maybe it was better that they took some time.

She nodded. "I won't keep you, but that doesn't mean I won't keep an eye on you." Her tone was somewhat stern.

He understood why. Jay nodded back, then went to go join his friends.

* * *

Mal's voice sounded strange to her own ears. Since her ears were partially submerged in water. "Where were you this morning?"

"Aren't you supposed to be focused on floating?" Ben asked teasingly.

She brushed that off. "I'm doing great."

"You have _three_ people holding you up." Audrey pointed out. She was one of them, at the daughter of Maleficent's feet.

Doug, whose hands cradled her head, let out a laugh that didn't match the look in his eyes.

"I'd float better if I had an answer."

"I had to take care of something in the dungeon." Ben explained.

"Facing your dragon? Or whatever's worse?"

Ben blinked. When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with bewilderment.

Evie was getting the hang of floating a lot quicker than Mal. Which is why she had two helpers instead of three. "That's great." Lonnie encouraged. "We're gonna let go, but we're right here. Try kicking."

She did just that, and ended up splashing Jane in the face.

She tried to stifle her sound of distress, which should've been easy with a mouth full of chlorine.

"Sorry." Evie told her. She wanted to move to see if Jane was alright, but couldn't steer herself well.

"Occupational hazard." Jane insisted, as Jay came into view.

Mal didn't need to question the look that remained on her boyfriend's face, but she wanted to yell when she felt her feet drop. "Audrey!"

"I'm not going far. If Evie can hold her feet up, so can you." She was on her way to Jay, but her eyes moved to Jane for a moment. The girl gave her a reassuring smile. "You gonna jump right in?" She joked.

The boy standing at the edge of the pool laughed silently, shaking his head. "I don't think I'm that brave."

The words surprised Audrey, but they struck a chord with Jane.

She remembered standing inside, looking out at the pool a week before. The others had gone out two by two, each villain's kid paired up with a hero's. Mal with Ben, Evie with Doug, Jay with Audrey, and Carlos with Lonnie. Since Jane stayed behind, he came back in to check on her.

* * *

" _This is a funny way to celebrate a victory." He pointed behind him. "Shouldn't you be out there taking a lap?"_

" _That sounds dangerous." Jane dismissed._

" _I meant in the pool," Carlos clarified. "not around it."_

" _Oh. Well, it was just a scavenger hunt."_

" _You didn't have a partner for awhile."_

 _She didn't see how that made it any more impressive. So she tried to respond with a joke. "Neither did Audrey."_

 _Carlos took it the wrong way. "Hey… I had something important to do." He informed. His voice was low._

" _Did Chad?"_

 _For a split second, he was silent. "I don't think Chad's okay." Before she could ask him to elaborate, Carlos changed the subject. "Are you?"_

" _I don't want the attention." She explained, knowing she didn't sound like a winner. "Especially not like this." She moved her hand to rest on her opposite shoulder, thinking the cover up she wore wasn't fulfilling its purpose._

" _You deserve to be celebrated, and not just 'cause of this."_

" _I know it's stupid," Jane said. "but it comes back to me." She watched as Carlos stepped closer._

" _Do you think being raised around terrible people, we didn't think we were ugly?" Hearing that word from his mouth made Jane feel even worse. "I know I did. I know better now, but I forget sometimes, too."_

" _How do you make yourself to remember?"_

" _Different ways."_

" _What would you do right now?"_

 _He looked down at the shirt he was wearing, then out to where their friends were waiting, then back at Jane. "Let them see. They're not gonna lie to us."_

 _Her expression brightened, realizing he was right._

 _Carlos smiled back, then turned away. He didn't start walking again until he pulled his shirt off and threw it in the corner of the room. In true villain kid fashion._

 _Jane's eyes widened. She didn't think she could be as bold, but found herself following his lead with the cover up. It landed in the same heap._

 _The two kids picked up the pace. Jane wasn't far behind. She expected Carlos to stop at the edge of the pool. That's what everyone else had done._

 _Her eyes bulged again when she figured out that wasn't his plan. He was already in the air when the other hero kids realized what was happening. Their splashes followed his in quick succession. He found his way back to the surface, but couldn't keep his head above water for long. Luckily, he had plenty of lifeguards._

" _Why would you do that?!" That question, and some variations, came flying out of many mouth._

 _Carlos chose to answer Jane directly. She was in front of him, while the other hero kids guided him to shallow water. "Sometimes it feels like drowning. Sometimes you have to save yourself." In this case, he couldn't do that. He didn't have to._

" _Look at everyone who came in after me." Audrey, Ben, Doug and Lonnie looked relieved that they had the situation under control, but smiled. Even though they knew they'd missed a moment._

" _Look at everyone who wished they could." Jane turned to see the villain kids nodding in affirmation, then looked back at Carlos._

 _He echoed advice he'd given moments before, and she understood it better the second time around. "Let them see."_

* * *

When the phone rang in Fairy Godmother's office, Jane was instantly on edge. The two of them were supposed to leave for the second round of hospital visits in a matter of minutes.

Jane noted that her mother's tone was a mix of curiosity and concern. "Dr. Porter? ...Yes, I'm sure I do. ... Absolutely. I'll pack a box before we head over. ... See you soon."

"What are you packing?" Jane asked, the second the phone was hung up.

"Spellbooks." She said, looking directly at her daughter. "That's where they'll find their answer, according to Chad."

"Chad used _magic_? I didn't even know he could."

"Perhaps he just came across a magical object."

"He didn't steal your wand, did he?"

Fairy Godmother shook her head. "We would know." She started clearing shelves in her office. Every spellbook she came across found its way into a box.

* * *

"Are you still angry with me about this morning?" Ben asked as he approached his mother outside the hospital.

Belle showed to make her own donation, and ended up dogsitting afterward. "I was never angry with you. I just don't understand why you didn't let him handle it himself."

Ben sat, and Dude immediately nuzzled his hand. Asking to be pet. The king did not meet this request. "He wouldn't have."

"I don't see how that's a show of defiance." To Belle, it was simply disgusting.

"He wouldn't let it spread. Just sit long enough until it made him sicker."

Intelligent as she was, his mother couldn't see the logic in that. "Why?"

"...Remorse."

"You really think Chad feels that?" It was a simple question, but it felt like criticism. Enough to get Ben to stand up again.

"Everyone is so quick to believe he committed the worst crime the kingdom has seen in two decades, but I'm the only one who thinks he could feel sorry about it?

"No, I hope you're right." His mother told him.

"About all of it?" Ben hadn't realized he'd spoken his thoughts until Belle responded.

"What else is there?"

Her son averted his eyes, thinking an answer would be worse than his silence.

Not for her it wasn't. "Benjamin Florian."

His emerald eyes were shining, glazed over with tears. "I don't think Chad's as guilty as he looks."

* * *

Mal drew from memory. Her model would've stayed still for the entirety of her twenty-minute visit hours earlier. He didn't have a choice. But there was no life in his eyes as long as they were closed. So she imagined them open.

Evie felt her own imagination wouldn't help her. She watched as Mal sketched, the faint smile on her face showing that she found comfort in each pencil stroke.

The daughter of the Evil Queen felt that her own hands could never create an image that did her friend justice. Unless that image wasn't drawn.

She fetched her magic mirror and whispered to it. That way she wouldn't disturb Mal. "Mirror, mirror in my hand, let me see Carlos as he was before tragedy struck the land."

The memory that unfolded before her happened to take place in front of another mirror. She saw a smile grace Carlos' reflection, while he modeled a new design she'd been working on. It had been over a week since then, and Evie forgot about that.

The next memory was something she'd witnessed many a time. Carlos was building something, and she knew that even he hadn't figured out what it was yet.

The next flash wasn't something Evie had seen herself. At least not from the angle her mirror presented. Carlos sat with his back pressed up against Mal's bed, looking back at _her_.

Evie's eyebrows drew together, and the scene changed. Carlos' eyes were wide with excitement, setting sight on the science and technology section of Ben's library.

In the next glimpse, his eyes were covered by sunglasses. As he lounged by the pool.

After that, his eyes were hardly seen. He turned away from the tourney field. Which seemed empty apart from him. Evie almost questioned that aloud, but she had a feeling there was more to take in.

After all those happy memories, Evie was sad to see his smile vanish. As he left Dude behind. That was a rare sight. He took that dog practically everywhere.

Evie could only imagine the sarcastic tone Carlos' sour expression alluded to in the next memory. The mirror's playback had no sound, but she could see in his face that he wanted to scream.

The last glimpse Evie got was of Carlos' fear-stricken face. The world around him blurred as he took off sprinting.

The movement was so quick it seemed to jolt the mirror, making her drop it.

After what she'd seen, Evie wondered if it was worth it to pick it up in the first place.

* * *

Each passing minute felt an hour long as Jay lied awake, staring at the ceiling. It was easier to sleep when he had a late-night walk to waste energy on.

He had more or less promised to find something else to put his energy into. So he decided he wouldn't even get up. If he got up, he was almost certain he'd get out. Lying still was an act of rebelling against himself.

An act he couldn't keep up for long.

Once on his feet, he found himself heading to the window instead of the door. He could hear Lonnie's voice in his head as he looked out. _Find anything good out there, yet_? He never did.

So why did he keep looking?

It wasn't worth the trouble it caused. It was keeping his headmistress awake. He could tell her watchful eyes were tired. Didn't she have enough to deal with without him adding to the list?

That thought was enough to get Jay back in his bed, but he didn't go empty handed.

A pillow with crossbones on the face of it lied within easy reach.

* * *

 _Carlos wasn't sure why he ever left the Bargain Castle for Hell Hall. There was nothing for him there. Nothing he wanted, anyway._

 _His mother's car was parked out front. Which meant she got bored of being away from him, and had some more hell to raise._

 _There was no point in sneaking in the door. She would be waiting right behind it._

" _Looks like it's been a lonely day for the both of us."_

 _He was expecting to be met with demands, not a harmless observation. "Not for me. Not for long, anyway."_

 _Cruella smiled, but he didn't take it as genuine. He never could. "You're out of their league." Only she would think that was a compliment. Carlos didn't plan on taking it to heart. He'd found three friends for life in the most unlikely place. He wasn't going to let them go. Ever. "You know that old saying misery loves company?" He nodded. He didn't know where his mother was going with this, and he didn't care. She was calm. By now, he had the signs she was going to snap memorized. "I think, for a long time, we were both afraid to stop being miserable."_

 _Then they'd be alone._

" _Miserable's the only way to be here." Carlos argued._

" _I question that every time I see you smile." She said, stepping closer. Out of instinct, he inched backward. She didn't seem to notice. "This place could be a fairytale, too. If there were more people like you in it."_

" _What do you want?" Carlos asked, surprised how blunt the question came out. She had to be buttering him up for something._

" _I want to spend some time in my fur closet. And then spend some time with my baby."_

 _He scoffed. "Of course," He gestured to the stuffed dog. "if you took that thing to the spa, the steam would probably shrink it."_

" _Oh, Carlos." Cruella suddenly cupped his face with her hand. He flinched, even though her grip was gentle for once. "I was talking about you…"_

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! For those curious, Cadence's name is inspired by the theory that she's Ariel's daughter. Which is Melody is canon. Hope you don't mind the change.**

 **Speaking of names, I forgot to take a poll on what you guys want the girl with the apple's name to be last chapter.**

 **Ideas, questions, theories and corrections are greatly appreciated. As always, feel free to let me know if there's anything you want me to elaborate on.**

 **I'll update ASAP! =]**


	5. Playmakers and Game Changers

**Hey, my lovely readers! I'm a little later on this than I expected, hope you don't mind. It's done differently than most chapters. Shorter, but with lots of little scenes. No flashbacks or limbo dreams, but there are plenty of those to come.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to biankies, kjay15, pinksakura271, Guest, xRoguexRavenx, Paradise-san786, kittycat1810, ciara (Guest), WritingStxries, ChoiAnnin, Gokartgirl, Zussi, Witch Priestess, Shadow Wolf 394, and The Throne. Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

Belle knew what it was like to get lost in a book. She read away hours, back when she felt she could afford to.

She woke Friday morning to find that she was alone in her room. And when she entered the library, she found her husband there as if he'd never left from the previous morning. He had his arm resting on a stack of two books, and was turned to the last few pages of a third.

"Have you been reading all night?"

"The print in these books is smaller than I expected." Adam told her in confirmation.

"Do you feel any closer to understanding this?" If their son's feelings were right, Chad wasn't as bad as he seemed.

"Maybe." Adam said under a sigh, as his wife began to read under his shoulder. "These are copies of lesson plans and other school records from the Isle. Many villains became teachers so that their children wouldn't make the same mistakes they did."

Belle nodded. "If we didn't know what they considered their mistakes, that would seem admirable."

"To them, it _is_." Adam countered. "They were going after what they wanted, and we got in the way. Now they're teaching their kids to carry on a legacy they were forced to abandon. They don't see it as wrong." After all that reading, he was able to get inside the villains' heads a bit.

"I see what you mean," Belle began. "but what does that mean for Chad?"

"It's one of the dividing lines. Chad's arrogant, manipulative and close-mind. But he's hardly a fit for that place. He knows what he did was wrong."

* * *

Audrey woke to the sound of tapping keys. Her roommate was researching on her laptop, which wasn't surprising. In fact, what surprised Audrey was that Jane was so into her searches she didn't realize how loud she was being.

"Are you doing homework?" It wasn't like Jane to forget the night before.

"Sort of." Jane replied, her tone apologetic.

Audrey shrugged off the apology as she went to stifle a yawn. Then she got up. "What do you mean 'sort of'?" While she waited for a response, she started going through her morning routine.

"It's not an assignment." Jane explained.

"Really? The way you were typing had me fooled."

"It's even more important than homework." That realization didn't take much thought.

Intrigue entered Audrey's tone. "Are you gathering intel?"

"Intel?" Jane echoed, before deciding that was the perfect word. "Yeah. I'm researching magical objects."

With that, Audrey realized why. "To help out your mom?"

Jane nodded. "I can't find anything Chad would have access to that's meant to inflict pain." The frustration from her fingers had entered her tone, and she sighed to try and get rid of it. "After all, this is Auradon."

In response to that, Audrey said something she knew had never been true. It was simply her mother's greatest wish for her, and it had gone ungranted. "All we know is love, beauty, peace and joy."

Jane closed the laptop and turned so that she was fully facing Audrey. "It can't be all on them, right?"

"The adults?" Audrey asked, seeing Jane nod.

The girls wanted to help the situation, even though they'd been shielded from the darker side of it. "I think they wish it could be, but they know it's not." It was like Doug said, they were all dealing with this.

The girls and their friends were dealing with even more of it if they had to. They wouldn't just support. They'd play their part in investigating and healing.

Thinking that, if the situation were in any way reversed, Carlos would do the same for them.

* * *

When the binding of a book crashed into the bars of Chad's cell, the boy opened his bleary eyes.

" _How_ can you sleep?" The former king asked him.

"I don't try to." He said, so low Adam almost didn't hear. The man watched as the prisoner stood up too fast, and ended up stumbling toward the front of the cell. "So… what have we learned?" He was too tired to come off as condescending as the man thought he meant to.

"That some of the best weapons villains have had were supposed to be used for good."

"Isn't that somethin'?" Chad tried to sound mocking, but that was tough to do when he was struggling to hold himself up. "Is that all you got from three whole books?"

"It seemed like the most important part." Adam enunciated so that he could bare his teeth.

"So it gave you an answer," Chad began, with the slightest hint of relief in his voice. "did it raise any questions?"

"Why them?" Adam asked. "You could've modeled your behavior after anyone. Why pick them?" Not that he saw any villain as a good choice.

"They're just what's in my head right now." Chad knew the man was looking for a better answer. He just didn't have one to give. "If I could explain half the stuff that goes on in my head, my grades wouldn't be so bad. And Auradon wouldn't be such a mess. Though this might've happened without my help."

The disdain in Adam's eyes turned to darkness. "What?"

"I'm not the only one who didn't embrace the change." Something of a smile graced his face, and that was sicker than he looked.

"You weren't alone in this." Adam's anger over not realizing that before brought his voice to a whisper. He'd unknowingly let go of the only thing keeping him awake.

Chad watched as the coffee cup fell to floor. The spilled liquid stained the pages of the book the beast hadn't bothered to pick up. He eyed it oddly, then looked up again.

"That's not it, but it's close." He mumbled to himself. Though he wasn't answering Adam. He was simply speaking a thought that sight sparked. "That smell. Coffee, but… like it was left in the pot for too long."

"Why are you telling me this?" Adam doubted a smell would lead him to anyone else who might've been at the scene of the crime.

"It's all that comes in clear. Aside from the dreams." The man wasn't asking for an excuse, but hearing that proved that this incident haunted Chad. Looking at him then, he somehow seemed smaller. "They make it hard to tell what's real."

Adam's eyes went wide. "You can't remember it anymore, can you? You're _blocking it out_?"

Chad shook his head. The man was expecting denial, but not what the prisoner said next. "I hope not."

He needed to remember the details. If his memory stayed intact, there was no reason to lie in order to fill in the gaps.

If Adam could read Chad's mind in that moment, he wouldn't think that would stop him.

* * *

"That's creepy even for me." The Evil Queen said of the dried apple Cruella showed off to her. The two were in Jafar's Junk Shop, which hadn't moved much stock since Jay left for Auradon.

"You better not be trying to sell this to me." Jafar joked.

Grimhilde gasped over the sound of Cruella's forced laughter, "Now, _this_ is something befitting a queen." She said, snatching a garment up off the shelf. The feel of the fabric was something long forgotten. It was soft and silky. But, as the Isle demanded, it was not without flaw. Part of it was ripped. Seeing that, she almost lost interest, but she had to ask Jafar: "How did you manage to get your hands on it?"

"I didn't get my hands on it." The women eyed the man oddly, and he explained: "It's the first time someone broke into my shop to _leave_ something instead of steal it."

It didn't make much sense. "Are you sure they didn't take anything?" Cruella asked.

"Nothing I'm missing." By that, he meant if something was gone he didn't want it back. "I still have all my gold."

"How could you not notice a break-in?" The Evil Queen criticized. "Or take inventory when you own a store?"

"He doesn't notice much lately." Cruella said, after a laugh. This time, she didn't have to force it. "He's too _tired_." By the inflection, EQ could tell she meant something else.

He narrowed his eyes. "You should be the one who's _tired_. I bet Cinderella's drinking herself sick over _her_ son."

Cruella pretended not to notice when her angled elbow knocked the apple over. She hid a huff, not sure why she had to, and said: " _I_ bet she's not even fazed. Chad Charming's the closest thing to a villain that kingdom has. And apparently, he has people here so scared, they're being sympathetic toward me." When she said 'sympathetic', she stressed the suffix.

"Like who?" The Evil Queen asked in disbelief.

"Too many to name. Though just this morning Dr. Facilier dropped by."

"What did he say?" Jafar asked, sounding genuinely interested. Which was a rare find on the island.

"I tuned most of it out." Cruella answered, waving her hand as if to swat away the memory. "Something about how what happened to his star student is a shame."

"He called your son a star?" Wonder, another Isle rarity, was heard in Grimhilde's voice.

"Said he was one of the best minds Dragon Hall had even seen." Cruella confirmed. " _That_ I remember."

* * *

It wasn't often that the boys' locker room was crowded so early in the schoolday. The tourney team had called a morning meeting. They had one burning question for their coach, and were prepared to fight until they heard the answer they were hoping for. If that's what it took.

They voted, and Jay was the one to pose it.

"Is this gonna be another late game?" Presumably, it was set for the same time as last week. The boys didn't know if they could deal with that.

"Not this time." Coach Jenkins answered. He didn't know if one horrible incident could stop an Auradon tradition, but he knew that many of the students could not even think about tourney without thinking about what happened.

The team had been in this exact same spot when they heard word of it.

Someone else spoke up then. Aziz. "It is what _we_ want, but how's everyone else reacting to it?

'Everyone else' included the opposing team, who had to shift their schedule suddenly. "They understand." The coach assured. "I know you boys usually go visit Carlos in the afternoon. You're not mad this is gonna take up that time?"

The boys looked amongst each other. They were all in agreement. Ben said: "We just think it would be better if we had a victory to tell him about." Even if he couldn't respond.

The coach chuckled. "That's what I like to hear."

* * *

"How does it work?" That was another burning question.

One Ben wished he had the answer to when Mal approached him in the hallway, asking about their shared dreams. His own answer surprised him. "You're the fairy."

"Fair point." She admitted. Then, after a pause, she added: "I swear that wasn't a pun."

He found himself laughing anyway. Even though his next question was serious. "Can we afford to think about that right now?" He wasn't advising against it. The way he saw it, the power was hers. That meant the choice was hers alone.

"I think we _have_ to. I think it'll help us figure this whole thing out."

He nodded. "The Enchanted Lake has answers, but we're not allowed to find them." That was up to the investigators.

"But we can find answers in the dungeon." She said. "Ready to face your dragon again?"

In answer, he grabbed her hand. "I need someone with the heart of a dragon to face a dragon."

She smiled at him, knowing he meant that to be nice. "Of course." She said softly. "The dream kind of implies that we have to face this together, anyway."

* * *

Dr. Porter nearly tore a page from one of the spellbooks upon learning of a new development.

"The scar it's… pulsating." One of her team members reported.

She saw that every once in awhile, it glowed. She could see it right through the hospital gown. "Glowing like that is typical of magical things. It's not harming him."

"No, but he's having a rough day, anyway." It was nowhere near as rough as his first few days, but it was notable. And worrisome.

"I've gotta work faster." The doctor said. She said 'I' because she was the captain of this team.

They felt the same way, though. Even if they didn't know what to do next. "We're doing all we can."

That was a line they fed their patients' families, and she never liked it. If the team was thinking like that, she had no problem including them in what she told them then. "We're doing all we _know_. The more we read, the more we can do."

* * *

"I lied before."

Villains lied all the time. When Jafar showed up at Grimhilde's castle later on in the day to tell her that, she didn't even bat an overly made-up eyelash. "About what?"

"Taking inventory." He knew exactly what was missing from his shop. And he had a hunch as to why.

"Why would we care about a thing like that?" The way she saw it, she and Cruella were only making conversation.

"The clothes are from Auradon." He said, waiting for something to click.

"Well sure, we always get their leftovers." Only once they had their fill of whatever the leftovers happened to be.

"That soon?" Jafar asked slowly, making her think back. The Evil Queen hadn't felt anything that new in decades.

"What're you thinking?" She knew that, like most times, it had to be something dark.

"That no _little prince_ could possibly pull off something like that without help. He wasn't the only one who didn't want our kids over there."

"Have you told Cruella?" That would be her first move.

It would be his last. "What's to tell?" That lead was all he had. "We know how she is normally. Everyone's _sympathies_ have her stirred up even more. If I'm right," He began, looking confident that he was. "Auradonian criminals are hiding out here on the island. If Cruella finds out now, she'll just see red. And if that's all she sees, it won't do any…" He stopped himself, confused by the word he was about to utter. Grimhilde looked disgusted, knowing what had been on the tip of his tongue. "It'll be worse for us." He decided.

"This gets worse?" She asked flatly.

"That's all that can happen if we don't do anything."

" _We?_ " The Evil Queen echoed, getting the urge to slam the door. For some reason, she resisted.

Reluctantly, he nodded. "We… are going to team up."

"You don't do that." She dismissed.

"How else do you hope to find them?"

"I wasn't hoping to!" She shouted. "I was better off not knowing they existed."

Her anger was matched when Jafar spoke next. "Our children are the only reason we even associate. Without them-"

"We _are_ without them!" She was right, but he had his point to make. He had to do something. Being the owner of a dying business wasn't going to keep him satisfied.

"Without them, we wouldn't have… whatever this is." He finished lamely. They knew full well their bond was nowhere near that of their children.

She told herself that didn't matter. That whatever this was meant nothing. She told him: "I don't care."

The door shut, and Jafar yelled to her through it. Using a word with a weird taste to it.

"Your daughter loves him!"

If he made no impact, she wouldn't have responded. He would've simply been shunned. "And what's love ever done for Carlos?" The door was open again.

"I've never understood it." He said. A villain wasn't meant to know love. "But the kids _did_. That's why they bothered. Even when they were here. They grew to be inseparable. They defied us to get that way." And now the adults saw each other on a daily basis. "Maye… _love_ is what's keeping him alive."

"Fancy medical equipment is what's keeping him alive." She said bluntly.

"This is a chance to _fight_." Jafar said, sounding intimidating for the first time in a long time. Although that wasn't what he was going for. "We stopped fighting because we lost. We don't have to lose here, too."

"It won't make a difference." Grimhilde's anger suddenly dissolved into sadness. "It won't bring Evie home."

"What've we done to deserve that?" He challenged. "If you want her back, you have to try." He could see that he was getting through to her. Somehow, speaking lower made her hear him more clearly. "Those Auradonians are playing our game. If we're going to win here... we have to beat them at theirs."

She knew he was trying to be inspiring, but what he suggested was horrifying to her. Not to mention impossible. "We have to be heroes."

* * *

Ben and Mal's visit to the dungeon would have to be quick. Practice started soon, and if he missed even a minute of it, he would give his teammates the worst feeling of déjà vu.

"Long time no see." Chad almost sounded happy, and that told the others he had to be mocking them. He was sitting with his knees tucked up to his chin. It made him look small and harmless, which was startling to say the least.

"Chad." Ben said this as a greeting, and it felt out of place.

"Oh, I was talkin' to Mal." He clarified, with the smallest of chuckles. She glared at him, and said nothing. "It's good to see you too, Ben. I know you're too busy to keep checking on me. I don't need to be watched." His tone went from pseudo playful to scarily serious. "I'm not going anywhere."

"And I'm not waiting for a trial." Mal told Chad. "What've you done?"

Chad cocked his head a bit. "Well, I'm sure Ben's told you that I decked Carlos in the face so hard I practically branded him." He said this calmly, but it made Mal grab at the bars. That was the closest she would get to strangling him. He jumped, and his legs ended up flat on the floor.

She took heavy breaths, but was calmed by a simple touch. She looked at her boyfriend thankfully, then back at the prisoner. Putting her arms down again. "You don't need magic for that."

"No," He said, looking down. When his eyes met the others' again, there was something unfamiliar in them. "it's just my dumb luck."

"I need answers." She said. Maybe Ben could wait, but she couldn't.

"Of course. That's why we're all here, isn't it? But I bet Carlos tells the story better than I could. He knows more than I do," He admitted, watching as they shared a glance. The only reason this bit of information surprised them, was because it sounded like Chad was calling himself stupid. He had more to say. "And Mal? You know more than him."

"That doesn't make any sense." She said, through gritted teeth. "I wasn't anywhere near-"

"Not about what happened," Chad interrupted. "About how it happened. About what made it happen."

"You're the fairy." Ben found himself saying again, lower this time.

They didn't know about the talks Chad had with Adam. And he wasn't going to them. If they wanted answers, they'd have to find them without his help. At this point, that seemed like the only logical option.

"Every magical _being_ in Auradon should be on this."

The words that left Mal's lips then seemed to taint her tongue. She couldn't stand to say them to Chad directly. So she turned to Ben instead. "He's right."

Ben simply nodded, but the gears in his head were turning. He had power too, and he wouldn't waste it.

"Hmm." The prisoner said under a laugh. "Imagine that." He got up, just as the others turned to leave.

"Thanks for all your help." Mal said drily, hoping to get under Chad's skin.

If it worked, he didn't make it obvious. She could tell he smirked when he spoke next, even though she and Ben were walking away from him.

"Evil dreams, Mal."

The chill Chad's words left in the air froze her in place for a second, but Ben was looking back down the tunnel. That was one of the most outlandish things he'd ever heard.

As it should be, since it was something the Isle natives typically said.

Once above ground, Mal said: "I didn't know Lonnie was repeating that to people. I only said it to her once."

"What if she hasn't been?" Ben wondered aloud.

* * *

"Not once?"

"I'm sure." Lonnie told Mal. The girls were walking over toward the tourney field together, but it wasn't a pleasant walk. Now they had another impossible question to tackle.

"Then how does Chad know the expression?" Evie asked, knowing she was voicing everyone's thoughts.

"Maybe he doesn't." Audrey reasoned. He could've just made it up. Or thought he did. "He was just taunting you, right?"

"Most of the time." Mal answered, because something he'd said led somewhere. "He suddenly decided to care about the rules. The trail."

"Maybe it really does make him feel bad." Jane theorized. "Maybe he knows about evil dreams from spellbooks."

Mal wished. "I'm pretty sure it's just an expression."

Audrey couldn't accept that that. "It has to come from somewhere."

"It's just our equivalent of 'sweet dreams'."

"'Cause our dreams aren't sweet." Evie agreed.

"Will you still look?"

If she didn't, Mal might miss something. And if she missed something because she didn't bother to look for it, she wouldn't forgive herself. "Sure." She told Jane.

Before finding their place in the stands, the girls would need to get changed. Mal and Evie had special permission to go in the locker room with the cheerleader, mascot, and dancer walking beside them.

"Evie, do you have the _stuff_?" Lonnie asked.

"That sounds ominous." Audrey said, before she could answer.

"We're covered." Evie replied, looking over at her best friend. "We've got nothing to worry about." In that moment, she was using one of her most natural talents. Even in all her confusion, Mal managed a smile.

* * *

A rousing pregame speech from Coach Jenkins was not a guarantee this time around. Even if he had one prepared, there was the possibility that no one would want to hear it. The boys were busy marking some of their gear with Carlos' jersey number.

"We're down a teammate tonight." The man began, not being given a single pair of eyes. Some were angled at the floor. Even with what the team knew, it was strange to hear their coach say Chad wasn't part of that team. He didn't want to talk about Chad. He wasn't going to. "Don't just take Carlos' number to the field with you." He advised. That got the team's attention.

"Bring his energy. His perseverance. Bring his... goofiness." That seemed like a random ad-in, because it was. "Make it work. Find a million different ways to make it work. Or, at least, 101." Some couldn't help cracking smiles over the lame joke. " _That's_ it!" Coach Jenkins said, with a burst of enthusiasm. The boys weren't sure what they'd done to bring it about. " _Smile_. That'll show 'em. You don't have to win for Carlos."

There was a pause, and Aziz asked: "If we don't, won't it seem like we didn't try?"

"It'll seem like you tried as hard as you could. 'Cause that's the point, through all this. He didn't think he belonged on that field." The coach set his focus on one team member in particular. "Jay, you had to push just to get him to try. Why'd you do that?"

The boy wasn't blindsided by the question, but by how his answer came out: "'Cause I don't know how to do this without him."

"But you're gonna try?" Jay nodded. "Why?"

"He was gonna let me have this for myself," Happy to sit on the bench. "But it's not just about me." Jay looked around at his teammates. "It's not even just about us. I don't have much to compare it to, but I've never seen so many people get so excited about a game before. So it's gotta be more than that."

"Give the fans a reason to come together." Coach Jenkins said, making sure to look at each of the boys as he finished his thought. "Give them something to be excited about. Give them a game like they've never seen before."

* * *

When the boys took the field, it was already apparent that this would be a game unlike the rest. But not every teammate had yet to face the stands and see why.

"Jay, I think they've got us beat." Ben told him. Though his voice broke just a bit, he was smiling brighter than he had in week.

Jay was lost as to what that meant, even seeing other player's jaws drop. He found his answer when he turned around.

The stands were packed more than he'd ever seen. His eyes widened at the sight.

The fans had abandoned their Auradon Prep colors for black, white and red...

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! Next chapter should pick up right where this one left off. We're at a week since the attack, and I had too many ideas about that to fit them in one chapter. Let me know if you guys have any ideas/questions/theories/corrections (or if there's anything you want me to elaborate on). Of course, I'll always come back and re-edit.**

 **I've got a question for you guys. The girl who gave Cruella the apple still needs a name. So lets put it to a vote! Here are the suggestions:**

 **Zoe**

 **Raven**

 **Torlin**

 **Niraya**

 **Hope**

 **I'll update ASAP! =]**


	6. Big Stakes and Little Strides

**To make up for a bit of a wait my lovely readers, here's a 14 page long chapter. (Take your time!) With two mini-flashbacks, one limbo dream and a bunch of little clues. Plus, we finally learn the true identity of "Apple Girl". Thanks for all your votes!**

 **This chapter is dedicated to** **biankies, magiclover222, Sodaluv8 (Guest), kjay15, pinksakura271, guest, ciara, Gokartgirl, LilNate03, Paradise-san786, ChocolatyMinds, TokioJapon, lili2865, Chelsea dorekens, xXxRosalottiexXx, phoenixfirekitsune, MStar10, gez lutz merrygold, Punk-Panther, macadoodle3, MStar10 and hello this is me speaking. Sorry I didn't get to thank everyone personally. My laptop was having issues. Enjoy! =]**

 **I do not own Descendants**

The sideline saw a change of style, too. The cheerleaders and dancers stood together, dressed the same. They looked more like they were going to the gym rather than performing at a tourney game, in sweatpants and simple shirts. Since they all matched, it didn't seem all that out of place. Others around them just seemed surprised, like they missed the memo about the costume change.

When the mascot joined the performers, no one watching knew what to expect.

Lonnie knew she and her temporarily expanded team had to remember everything they'd practiced in rehearsals. Even on the days where it really did seem like such a routine only made sense in her head.

" _No one's hips move like this, Lonnie!" Came one complaint._

" _Have you seen Carlos dance?" That was her comeback. She and the dancers were running through the choreography for what felt like the trillionth time when the gym doors opened behind them. The cheerleaders walked in, along with Jane._

 _Upon seeing them, Lonnie thought she was taking up their space. She knew she had no problem finding another place to practice, but she wasn't sure she could say the same for the other members of her team. Luckily for her, she didn't have to ask. That wasn't why they were there._

" _We wanted to see if you needed backup." Audrey told anyone who would listen._

 _A smile formed on Lonnie's face. "Nobody's backup on this team."_

It was decided in that moment that they would perform as a unit. Their mascot stood in the middle, looking like the glue holding the two teams together. After all, collaborating had been Jane's idea.

Audrey mouthed 'Project' to her, bringing a fanned out hand away from her body.

She was ready for that. It was everyone else who was taken by surprise.

"AURADON!"

The crowd cheered wildly in response. Mostly because they were surprised by the power in the lungs of someone so petite.

The shout turned into a chant, and soon the group on the ground found their starting places. The crowd kept the chant going, excited to see what would happen next.

It started off like any old performance, except the two teams traded talents. The dancers did acrobatics, and the cheerleaders made moves with hip hop flair. Though they didn't keep at this very long. Once every spot had switched, the performers lined up again. And another cheer began.

Both Audrey and Lonnie led it, alternating lines.

"This is your dream to follow!"

"This is your chance to take!"

"This is your score to settle!"

"This is your mark to make!"

Audrey looked right and left, before cupping her fist in her hand. The rest of the team followed suit, the look of determination in their eyes giving off the vibe that they were setting up to spar. "Ready?!" She asked.

The whole team answered: "Break!"

In the split second their arms went down, Jay had the chance to whisper two words. "No way…" He knew what was coming, he just couldn't believe it.

Even as he saw it it. Trading talents wasn't going to work for the second half of the performance. Most of the dancers had to tackle a style previously untouched by them: breakdancing.

People in the stands screamed with delight. The tourney team had wide eyes and dropped jaws.

Every move had edge. Each dancer channeled an energy they'd never known, from a place they'd never set foot on.

The sneakers got stained with grass, and they kicked up dirt as they gained speed.

This group that was known for being dainty and refined thrashed around as if that was second nature. Still, there was an Auradonian essence to it, as they'd found the perfect way to wrap the dance up.

Mal immediately recognized the hand movements she used when spellcasting. Which flowed right into the pose Jay struck when first modeling his tourney jersey. Each member of the team looked like archers without their bows. Then they twirled elegantly-making Evie smile-before slipping into splits for the big finish.

Those in the stands and on the field brought their hands together, as the dancers recovered. They couldn't hide that they'd put their all into this, and now their energy was drained. They helped each other up, ready to rest awhile.

It was showtime for the tourney team now. The boys soon discovered that what the performers had done was a tough act to follow. Any hope of settling a score was dwindling, Home field advantage seemed to be a thing of the past. The captain felt like less and less of a leader every time the away team increased their already impressive lead. It didn't help that the announcer found it necessary to reminded everyone of what they were missing. Or, rather, who.

The home crowd continued to cheer, no matter how many times the Fighting Knights got knocked down. The adults in the stands acted as if every child playing for Auradon was one of their own.

It was a struggle, but the team left the field as victors in the end. No one had been more off their game than the MVP.

* * *

"The magic is actually... helping him?"

Dr. Porter could see her team was having trouble wrapping their heads around what they thought was just a theory. "It's trying to. It's trying to patch up the pathway in the brainstem."

"What's stopping it?" Another asked.

"He is." She nodded in the direction of the patient. "He's rejecting the treatment. At least, the magical version. Healing can happen naturally. It _will_." She assured.

"Have you put any thought into what drugs we'll-"

"There's no need to talk about that until Carlos shows signs of minimal cognitive recovery."

"And what if he doesn't?"

"His brain activity increases every night." She reminded them.

"But we need to see those waves during the day. So how do we get there?"

To her, the answer was obvious. But she didn't make it sound that way to the others. "With something more than medicine. Something more than magic."

The door opened behind the team. They knew that the only people who wouldn't knock were also working Carlos' case: the investigators. "We've got a lead." The top investigator announced. He was holding a plastic bag smaller than the size of his palm. Inside was the only clue the heavy rain hadn't managed to wash away from the crime scene. "We had to piece it back together. This is a recreation. The real thing's too fragile to hold."

Despite how unprofessional she thought stammering was, Dr. Porter couldn't help it when she caught a glimpse of what she now held in her own hand. "It… it's a shell casing." It felt heavy, even though the memories attached to it weren't her own.

"Doesn't make a lick of sense to us." One of the investigators replied. "It's not like he has any entry wounds."

"So it never hit him." One of the team guessed, while Dr. Porter looked the thing over with scrutiny. It was silver, like something used to take down a werewolf. She flipped it so that it was pointed directly at her, like she was staring down a barrel. That's when she saw the purple vein-like markings.

"Or it broke apart just as it did. The markings match the scar, just on a smaller scale." She said, showing her team. "This is _weaponized magic_." Literally.

With that, everyone understood. "So there was never any gunpowder involved."

She shook her head, and told the others: "The bullet holds the spell."

* * *

A familiar scene unfolded in the waiting room after the game. The group was tuned into the news, but most only watched because there was nothing else on. Jane listened intently. What she heard wasn't the least bit unsettling-even though there was no update on Carlos' condition. The reporter seemed to make her uncomfortable, and not just because she was recapping the Fighting Knights' very few highlights from the game. She had that effect on Jane ever since the coronation.

"You know, you don't have to listen to everything she says." Lately, Audrey would be the one to tell her things like this, but she was heading down the hallway for her second visit. Ben had returned to the waiting room, looking shook up.

Jane took no notice, since her eyes darted up to meet Doug's. "I know." She said, somewhat startled. (He'd been sitting with Evie, and she hadn't heard him walk over.) It wasn't like she tried to listen. It just happened that way.

"If you ask me, there's nothing wrong with your hair." He felt the need to say.

This got a giggle out of Jane. She was keeping her hair short, even though Mal's magic could change that. "I know." She repeated, attempting to flip it a bit. The motion didn't come across the way it was supposed to. It almost looked like she had a crick in her neck. Doug got the message, though. She wasn't trying to be flirtatious, she was telling him she loved her hair exactly the way it was. "But doesn't it feel weird for you to say that?"

"No." For him, it felt perfectly natural. "Why?"

Jane gestured to the woman onscreen. "She's like family to you, and the two of us are hardly friends."

He seemed upset by her reasoning, but didn't bring it up. "Just because we're family doesn't mean I have to agree with everything that comes out of her mouth." Doug's explanation faded into a mumble. "Besides, she and I never really… connected." His eyes were angled down on the floor after that, which prompted Jane's next question.

"Do you wish you had?"

He had to think about that for a second. If he was honest with himself, he used to wish that. Not anymore. "Not if she talks about my friends that way."

Jane smiled, suddenly not caring about what Snow White had to say.

In contrast, Doug suddenly looked scared. Jane turned her attention to the others, thinking they had brought on that fear. Ben and Mal were whispering to each other, but something told her the secret they shared wouldn't stay between them long after visiting hours were over.

"What?" Her innocent eyes seemed accusatory in Doug's view, like she knew what he was thinking.

He didn't want to keep the thought to himself, especially if Jane had already caught onto it. "Do you wish you and Chad had connected?" Her mouth opened, but produced no sound. "You're kinda like family, too."

She didn't disagree. "I wish he wasn't the person everyone thinks he is." Doug didn't think he was, but couldn't bring himself to say so in that moment. "Then I would want to connect with him."

The gears in Doug's head were turning so fast the metaphorical sparks were flying. "Hang on. Don't you already have a connection with him?" He meant a familial one, but Jane didn't see that.

"What do you mean?"

The hand motions Doug made looked like he was drawing on an invisible chalkboard. Like he was doing the math, though there wasn't that much math involved in this equation. ""Well, your mother is Cinderella's fairy godmother. Which makes you and Cinderella godsisters. And since Chad's the son of your godsister, doesn't that make Chad… your godnephew?"

Jane ad a tendency to talk fast when panicked, but even she had trouble keeping up with that. "Doug… _my_ brain hurts, and I wasn't even the one doing the thinking just now."

"Sorry." He said sheepishly. "I just never thought about it before."

"Me neither…" Jane trailed off.

Doug put the thought in her mind, and she wasn't sure she would be able to get it out.

* * *

The next time Doug spoke to Jane that day, it was to tell her that it was her turn to visit with Carlos. When she got to the room, Dr. Porter was waiting outside of it.

"Oh, hi." The girl tried to sound simply surprised, rather than as worried as she looked. It didn't work.

"I didn't mean to alarm you. I just wanted to get your name for later on." The doctor had seen how close this group was, and had a favor to ask of them once visiting hours were over.

"Uh, it-it's Jane." She wasn't unsure of that, just why she was being asked. She saw the woman smile.

"I love that name." Jane had heard that before, but unlike when Mal approached her in the bathroom during the villian kids' first days at Auradon Prep, it was said with complete sincerity. "It's my mother's."

* * *

"You really don't wanna be here right now." Chad's voice was filled with exhaustion, but his eyes looked irritated.

"What's with your attitude lately?" Adam asked.

"Which one?"

"Hard to say. You keep changing it." The man observed. Then he got to the point of his visit. "I tried to follow your lead. Find the scent."

Chad figured heightened senses were leftovers from Adam's days as a beast, so sniffing out who smelled like spoiled coffee shouldn't have been a problem. The way the former king said 'tried' implied that he failed, so now-on top of tired-Chad sounded unimpressed. " _And_?"

Adam narrowed his eyes. "You _know_ how it'll be if every pardoned goblin gets brought in for questioning." Almost all of them kept the job they had back on the Isle, and the scent stayed with them. "We need something better." The beast explained. Something more solid.

Chad's eyes went from looking sleepy to sorrowful. His hand knocked against one of the bars in front of him, like he was trying to hold onto it but couldn't get a grip. "Sorry you're stuck with me."

* * *

Eight Auradon Prep students remained at the Golden Flower hospital after visiting hours ended. Audrey, Ben, Doug, Evie, Jane, Jay, Lonnie and Mal. Dr. Porter stood in front of them. Fairy Godmother was just outside, keeping careful watch of Dude.

"I've asked you all here because I've seen how close you are, and how much you care for Carlos." The doctor told the kids. "I'd requested that he be moved to that room because I wanted him to have a piece of his life before all this, but it isn't near enough. Waking coma patients takes medicine that doesn't come bottled up. In order to help my patient more, I need to understand who he is and what happened to him the way each of you do."

While the Auradonians looked amongst each other as if to see who would speak first, the kids from the Isle talked over each other.

"What?"

"How can we-"

"We know less than you!"

She didn't mind their arguments. She had a rebuttal. "Do you think what happened was so spur-of-the-moment that _nothing_ that went on last week will help us figure it out?"

The way the kids saw it, she was only half right in her thinking. Whatever this truly was, it had been building for sometime. But they never laid eyes on the plans.

"Basically it was the worst ending to one of the best weeks of our lives." Doug said. No one disputed him.

"So _tell me_ about it." Dr. Porter urged. "We can't get anywhere if we keep our stories to ourselves, under the assumption that they won't make any difference," She looked over at Lonnie, speaking on the little bit of information she'd shared. "We know where Carlos was found. We know Chad got in a few hits and let nature do the rest." With that, the doctor painted the ugly picture of puncture wounds caused by rocky terrain. Others cringed, but she kept on talking. Informing them of what she and her team found out that afternoon. "We know that he either had an accomplice, or sticky fingers."

Jay fought off a shudder when he heard that. Even as a former thief, he didn't want to draw comparisons to a criminal.

The woman looked to Ben before she spoke next. "Would you rather tell them?" She thought it might be better coming from a friend.

In answer, the king said: "Carlos has a scar caused by a magical bullet." Like his friends, he couldn't believe those words went together. He couldn't believe Chad managed to get his hands on such a thing. Or work with someone who had.

"So, this spell he's under, it's like-" Audrey stopped herself, trying to spare Mal's feelings.

But Mal finished her sentence for her. "A sleeping curse."

"The spell is trying to wake him faster." Dr. Porter countered. "He won't let it."

"Is that a good thing?" Jane asked, voicing everyone's confusion.

"Until we know what this is, we can't say for sure."

This served as a reminder for Mal to search for the answer. Evil dreams was the clue to it. "What do we do until then?" She asked.

The doctor answered that question with another question. "What do you do for Carlos now?"

"Just… talk."

"Me too." Audrey, Ben and Jane chorused.

"I tell him uncle stories." Doug admitted. The doctor didn't exactly understand this, but Audrey and Jane shared a laugh about it. He figured if he did that enough, Carlos would wake and kindly tell him to cut it out.

"I get bored of just talking." Lonnie admitted, even though it embarrassed her. "I work on whatever I have to do for the day. Out loud." Maybe that way, Carlos would weigh in on it. Or at least send her a sign that he was listening. "What about you, Evie?"

"I sing to him." She said, finding herself smiling.

"Hopefully not lullabies." Jane thought aloud.

"That might be counterproductive." Audrey added.

They didn't have to worry about that. "I don't know any lullabies." Evie told them. "But I know he likes his mom's song."

The woman seemed surprised to learn this. The kids just found it funny. They looked to Jay, realizing he had yet to speak on the subject. "I just sit there and listen."

"To what," Mal asked. "the birds chirping outside?"

" _Yeah_ ," He began, with a bit of an edge that he lost by the time he went on talking. "it's pretty annoying."

"All of that is very helpful." Dr. Porter told the kids.

"But we wanna do more." Jane said, surprised she spoke up.

Though she was glad she did when Mal added: "We're looking into the magic more. Maybe there's something in my spellbook that'll help."

"And my mom has other magical items."

"We appreciate all the help we can get." Dr. Porter told the girls. "That's why we're gonna be working even closer with investigators. If there's anything you guys can do to make him feel at home while we look into what happened, don't hesitate."

"Feel at home." Evie echoed. "You mean, like, decorate?"

"Exactly."

* * *

"Why would you go to all eight of them?"

For Dr. Porter, that was a simple question. "They're Carlos' closest friends."

"Didn't seem like it to me." Sometimes the team got into discussions that weren't technically about work. Most of the time, she didn't mind it. This time was different. She felt like the others were ganging up on her.

"Didn't seem like it to me, either.."

"Everyone deals with things like this in their own way." She dismissed.

"Seems to me like _almost_ everyone is dealing with it in the same way."

"Is this what you're gonna do? Talk bad about his friends right in front of him? How will that help us help him?" Dr. Porter looked down at her patient, fighting off the urge to give him a motherly touch he'd likely never known. He'd had a rough day, but by the end of it he was even stronger. Once the sun had set, his brain activity was back on its consistent climb.

* * *

 _Auradonian Propaganda still had the same messages, just with a different face attached. The son of a beauty and her beast was now the 'rightful' king._

 _Carlos stared at the image, feeling like something was off with it. Since he stopped short in the middle of the market, his mother nearly tripped over him. He expected screams that would leave her throat sore to follow, with plenty of profanity thrown in for extra punch._

 _Instead, she simply asked: "Why are you so interested in that poster all of a sudden?"_

" _I never understood why they don't just take his picture." It was strange to even think this, but the print didn't do Ben justice._

" _He looks better like that." The woman grumbled. "If his face is gonna be plastered all over the place, it might as well be pleasing to the eyes."_

 _Carlos suddenly found himself feeling defensive for someone he'd never met. Someone he'd never hope to meet. Not as long as he was spreading those same hypocritical messages about doing good. The kingdom may have been flourishing, but nothing on the Isle ever changed._

 _Carlos' eyes still hadn't moved from the poster, and it was as if his feet were planted to the ground._

" _Don't go feeling sorry for him." Carlos had grown wary of his mother's casual tone. It seemed she was saving her energy, so he wouldn't see it coming when she struck next. "It's not like he ever felt sorry for you."_

 _Before turning back toward his mother, Carlos placed a hand on his shoulder. He held it there for a brief moment. A phantom feeling of comfort floated around it, but he couldn't place where it came from._

* * *

"The dungeon looks different than it did in my dream." Mal felt the need to correct herself. Twice. "Your dream. _Our_ dream."

"Different how?" Ben asked, watching her flip through her spellbook for a third time. She was sprawled across her bed. He was sitting sideways at the edge of it, so he could face her. He'd noticed a significant difference in the dream, but perhaps she picked up on something else.

"It had that one lantern that hangs lower than all the others."

"I always see it that way." He admitted, sort of sorry he had to. With everything going on, he didn't want to throw an argument on top of it all.

"Do you know why?" She didn't sound like she suspected anything, but that might've been because she was focused on finding an answer about what evil dreams truly meant.

"I didn't at first, until Lumiere pointed it out to me."

"You tell Lumiere about your dreams?" She found this sweet rather than strange.

Ben shook his head. That wasn't what he meant. "In the dream, the lantern's in line with Chad's heart because…" He paused, and then his lips treaded lightly with what they let loose next. "I want to believe there's still light in there." Mal tore her her eyes away from the page, but they weren't glowing green like he expected them to be. He was able to finish his thought once he saw she wasn't angry at him for thinking it. "And Lumiere knows that."

Mal moved closer to Ben, leaving her spellbook where it where it lie. He was pleasantly surprised once again, when she wrapped her arms around him and held tight. The hug worked better than words in telling him that his feelings were valid, even if she didn't agree with them in this case. "That… would be a dream come true." She said softly, before turning her attention back to her book.

Evie entered the room carrying a garment bag over her shoulder. When she saw Ben was there, she wondered if she should've knocked. They were glad the moment they'd had passed with no interruption, but they were also glad to see their friend.

Especially Mal. " _Please_ tell me that's somehow the key to solving the latest Prince Harming mystery." Ben looked uncomfortable with Chad's new nickname, given what he just got through saying. "Sorry."

"I'm sorry, too." Evie told them, talking through her slight confusion. "This is just the design I was working on for Carlos. I figured I'd bring it to him tomorrow." For whenever he was ready.

"Maybe your magic mirror has some answers for us." Ben suggested.

"Not full ones." She said disappointedly, thinking about the memory montage it presented her. "Just bits and pieces. I know it's trying to tell me _something_ , but I guess I missed the fine print." She would have to view that again.

"Fine print." Mal repeated, realizing she'd been going about this search the wrong way. She wasn't looking at it close enough. "Is there any way to turn that thing into a magnifying glass?"

"Not that I know of." It would have to be completely see-through for that.

"Jane has a magnifying glass." Ben said, earning an odd look from the girls.

"How do you know that?" Mal asked with a laugh.

"It was on the list for the scavenger hunt."

* * *

Jane had switched up her search from magical objects to weaponized magic. She learned that sort of thing was a retired war tactic, as wands were harder to conceal. When magical bullets were involved, they had to be combined with an ordinary substance in order to work. The gun's main purpose was to be able to cast the spell from a greater distance than an arm and wand's length would allow. So that even an ametuer weilder would be able to work magic. In a manner of speaking.

" _War_." Audrey read over Jane's shoulder. "Do you think that's how he saw it? Between us and the VKs?" She couldn't imagine fighting her friends.

But Jane knew as well as she that things weren't always peaceful between them. "That's what we made it. Sometimes." She wasn't scared to say something like that to her. She didn't have a reason to be. She turned away from their tangent, getting back to the task at hand. "So whoever did this _was_ without magic." Not counting the weapon they used.

Audrey agreed. "And if Chad wasn't the one who did the shooting, then even more people were involved." Someone had to conjure up the spell.

Rather than knock, Mal called out: "Open up, it's us." Audrey got the door, since Jane had her laptop on her lap and papers spread all around her.

"Did you find out what evil dreams means?" Audrey asked.

"We're about to." Mal assured.

Evie's eyes settled on Jane. "First, we need to borrow your magnifying glass, please."

"Sure." Jane put the papers into one neat pile, and laid the laptop next to it. Then she hopped off her bed to get the requested item.

While the purple-haired girl combed through her book a fourth time, Ben took the opportunity to tell the two roommates he was visiting what a great job they did performing before the game. "I meant to tell you girls before, your dancing was incredible."

"Thanks." They chorused.

"That choreography was all Lonnie, though." Jane informed.

"Working together was your brilliant idea." Audrey reminded her, making her smile.

Ben knew that each of them were only trying to give credit where credit was due, but he didn't want them to discredit themselves.

Neither did Evie. "It was _amazing_. All of it. Especially since you only had a few days to prepare."

"That's the real magic." Audrey joked.

"I think the real magic is how well we're gonna sleep tonight. Jane said, sitting back down on her bed. She noticed that every time she slowed down, she felt her eyes getting heavy. "Although you probably miss your own bed."

Her roommate shook her head. "I've got two homes. Plus, my parents kinda kicked me outta the other one." Her tone told the others not to take that statement too seriously.

Which might explain while Jane's tone turned teasing. (That wasn't typical of her, and it caused Ben and Evie to look between each other.) "Did your parents get _tired_ of you?"

Audrey didn't miss a beat. She teased right back. Even her body language gave off that vibe, since she leaned down to get in Jane's face a bit. "They got tired of my phone bill, _Tiny Girl_."

Jane mimicked the movement-though she had to lean upward instead-making the onlookers exchange glances and grins. (Even Mal, whose focus was set on her book, raised her brow a bit.) "You're tiny, too."

"Still taller than you."

The others' giggles got cut short when they saw Mal's grip tighten around the handle of the magnifying glass. All eyes were on her then. They knew she found an answer, and-by the looks of it-it wasn't one she was hoping for.

Mal acknowledged everyone's expressions of anticipation, before setting her focus on Ben. "Evil dreams is listed as a side effect for some of these spells." She revealed.

"So spells like that give the target nightmares." That was Audrey's understanding of it. She didn't like referring to Carlos as a target, but that's how he'd been treated.

"It's worse than that. Nightmares are scary, but they help us understand things better. I don't think evil dreams feel like that at all."

For the other girls in the room, this brought little clarification. But it caused something to click for Ben. "Evil dreams seem perfect. They trick the target into thinking that what they're feeling is real."

"How'd you figure all that out from what she just said?" Jane asked, seeing the confusion she felt reflected in Audrey's eyes.

"Because I've had them." Ben said, now understanding what the look Mal gave him meant. "They just didn't work on me because what I was feeling was already real."

Evie mouthed: "The love spell." Out loud, she said: "That at least narrows down our search for the spell cast on Carlos."

Jane opened her laptop again and typed out a note: _Persuasive spells_.

* * *

"You couldn't have waited 'til daylight for us to start this search?"

"Scared of the dark, are you?" Jafar asked, irritated. There wasn't time to waste.

"No, but I need my beauty sleep."

He mumbled something about a sailing ship that Grimhilde couldn't hear over the sound of him unfolding a map he'd drawn up. Her complaining annoyed him more than usual because he'd stayed up the whole night working on it.

"What is that monstrosity?"

"I've marked off every vacant house on the Isle."

"Right," The Evil Queen saw this as a good strategy. "because those Auradonians are too soft to venture away from civilization."

The two left the Castle Across the Way with provisions in the beat-up bags on their backs. The didn't even make it out of Hell Hall before they spotted something strange. It wasn't the end to their search, but it was enough to delay the start of it.

"EQ," The nickname was used as a quick way to get her attention, but it brought her mind back to Maleficent for a second. "is it just me, or does that cat look vaguely familiar?"

"So does the girl." She reminded Jafar. "The one who gave Cruella the apple she's been carting around."

The cat was like a shadow that became unstitched and had roamed free, until she was scooped up by another lost little thing.

"That doesn't belong to you." The statement was hardly a threat. Jafar was saving his threats for Chad's accomplices.

At first, he was only answered by a glare. Considering he made his living off things that didn't belong to him. " _She_ doesn't belong to anyone." The girl corrected, though the way she cradled the black cat seemed to contradict that statement. "She found me, so I'm keeping her company until…" She didn't know how to end that sentence. Her feline friend had been left behind. Though not on purpose. It didn't seem possible that Beelzebub was forgotten about. There had to be a reason she remained on the Isle. As long as she stayed, the girl vowed to look after her.

"Who are you to decide that?" The Evil Queen demanded, thinking the girl didn't care about getting the cat back to her original owner. Even though he would be unable to care for her.

"Niraya." She said her name like it was a royal title. Grimhilde had to respect that, even if she kept quiet about it. "And I can do this better than either of you."

"That's a bold statement." Jafar huffed.

One she wouldn't take back. Niraya stood up, setting Beelzebub down next to the broken bench she'd been sitting on. The cat circled her heels as she whispered: "If this plan of yours works and you come out of it wanting the same thing, then you haven't learned." Her eyebrows were angled down, her eyes were slits, and she was doing her best to bare her teeth. "Not how to take care of a kid. Or a cat. _Nothing_."

The adults missed her point, distracted by what came before it. "How do you know what we're planning?" Jafar asked, wondering if that put the mission in jeopardy.

"I have good ears," She listened better than she meant to. Most of the time, she felt like she was learning things she wasn't supposed to know. She didn't consider this one of those times. The others didn't know it, but they were looking at an ally.

"Keep your _good ears_ as far away from us as possible." These parting words from Jafar _were_ a threat, but he wasn't sure he could follow through on it. There was too much at stake.

* * *

Saturday visiting hours were more lenient than the ones during the week, but they still ended at the same time. The group was getting an early swim practice in before they had to gather together what they'd bring to the hospital. Audrey was just finding her towel when she heard a sharp gasp. Instinct told her to run toward the source of the sound, rather than away from it.

"Jane, are you okay?!"

"That depends." She said, bringing her shaking hand out so Audrey could see what she held in it. The magnifying glass itself was nothing all that notable. The image it projected was a different story. "Do you see him, too?"

Indeed she did. Chad Charming stood in his cell, holding his water cup in one hand and a piece of bread in the other.

"How come you never told me that thing was magic?" Audrey asked, unable to hide the panic in her voice. She was glad to know it only worked one way, but that only brought so much comfort.

Especially when Jane shook her head. "It's not." She admitted, equally scared and excited by what she admitted next. "It's _me_."

Wonder rather than worry entered Audrey's eyes. "What did you do?"

Jane blinked. Hardly anything. "I was just... thinking about him." The image was fading, but before it disappeared completely the girls caught another glimpse. Chad used the piece of bread like a sponge, to soak up the water droplets left at the bottom of the cup after he drank from it. Then he bit at each of his dirty nails, until they all had a tear. The picture faded just as he ripped the first nail off, letting it fall into the cup.

The girls cringed. They didn't understand what they saw, but they knew it was something to tell the others.

* * *

"Why are there so many people here on a Saturday?" Mal asked. She was standing poolside, seeing lines of people file into the school.

"Fairy Godmother's holding conferences." Ben informed. "They all have magic."

With that, Mal knew that while the woman was having the conferences, she wasn't the one who called them to order. "Look at you." She said pridefully.

He shrugged. "I had to do something. Everyone else is making strides."

"Everyone else is _reading books_." She countered. "Well, except Jane. My point is, everyone has a way to help. We just have to figure out what that is."

The others were approaching, and some seemed to be bursting with the energy a new lead brought on. "Guys, Jane did some kind of… mirror magic this morning." Evie announced.

"I think I learned by watching you." She theorized.

"It was more like magnifying glass magic." Audrey corrected.

"So you have another answer for us?" Jay asked, hoping for a 'yes'.

Jane frowned. "More like another question. We saw Chad in his cell."

"He was ripping off his dirty nails." Audrey added, watching the others' disgusted reactions. It looked like the breakfast Evie had eaten an hour before might end up in the pool. "Not all the way." She clarified. "Just the dirty part."

"Still knda gross." Lonnie said, placing Dude down on a lounge chair. "And what's the point?"

"I guess that's the question." Doug told her, unable to hide the guilty look in his eyes. He knew he was the one who got Jane thinking about Chad.

* * *

Normally Lumiere would be the one to come fetch Chad's empty tray and refill it throughout the day, but he'd noticed the rapport building between the boy and the former king. It was more like a business partnership at this point. Considering that practically the whole kingdom was in the business of solving the same crime, there was no reason to get in the way of that. So, he let Adam take over the job.

Chad had his hand over the seemingly empty cup when he arrived. Right away, he noticed the red, raw skin left behind by the boy's rough nail trimming. It didn't seem to cause any pain. "Better?" The boy asked, when Adam saw all ten nails at the bottom of the cup.

He knew exactly what to do with them. "We'll see."

* * *

"Evie, are you sure you're a princess, and not a mermaid?" The blue-haired girl laughed at Lonnie's comment. "We've gotta get outta the water. It's almost time to leave." Reluctantly, she complied. She was easiestly the fastest learner out of her friends when it came to this, and she had discovered a perfect place to think. It was hard to leave it behind.

As she climbed the ladder, she noticed Doug knocking water out of his ears. Feet away, Audrey was filming this on her phone. Evie didn't mind. She knew she liked to document a lot of things. Even if they didn't seem all that important to other people. Doug didn't mind either, but when he took notice his cheeks got ruddy with embarrassment.

"Tell 'em." Audrey instructed, with a nod of her head. She thought it would mean more coming from Evie.

"You look _so_ cute right now." He was beaming. "Do you have _any idea_ how cute you look right now?"

Mal chimed in then. "I think we've established he has a hard time recognizing that he looks cute all the time." This earned her quite a few playful looks. "All my friends are adorable." She said dryly. "Now I never have to say it again."

"But you will." Ben said, sure of it.

"Yeah, I will." She could be just as sweet as she was tough. When she wanted to.

Doug's mind drifted back to over a week earlier, when he accidentally admitted how inferior he felt next to Evie. Especially when it came to looks.

 _The two of them were sitting outside at lunch. And since there was a crowd around, she saw an opportunity to poll them._ " _Excuse me, everyone. May I have your attention please?" He wondered if she noticed that she had their attention by the second word. "I just have a real quick favor to ask." Most looked more than happy to oblige. Some were her friends, others were just hoping to whisk her away from Doug. "Please raise your hand if you think this young man is attractive." She gestured across the table at Doug, who was seriously debating hiding his face in his hat._

 _Had he done that, he would've missed their reactions. Almost immediately, hands went up. Some were lazily raised, but others shot straight up in the air. And they were attached to girls from all different social groups. That was just the initial reaction, though. Once that happened, others felt comfortable showing their opinion, too. His bandmates, members of the tourney team. And of course, the rest of his friends, who were walking over to join him and Evie at the table._

 _They all raised their hands at the exact same time. Except Carlos, who passed his tray over to Jay so that he could raise both._

 _Some of the others laughed, but Evie simply turned back around with a smile on her face and her hand raised high. Seeing Doug mirror that smile, she said: "I rest my case."_

* * *

The group walked into the hospital, each carrying something with them. They saw a lot of the same students in the waiting room, but some adults as well. They guessed that they'd wanted to visit Carlos all along, but were busy with work.

Eyes were drawn to the eight items the kids carried. Some had an obvious significance, like the crossbone embroidered pillow Jay brought. Evie sent him a knowing smile when she saw it. It was about more than just comfort.

He saw the look she sent him, and could only think to say: "He needs it more than I do."

Other items were a little more ambiguous. Audrey held a black and red walkie-talkie. It seemed like it didn't fit right in her hand.

The conversations she'd had over it replayed in her head. If she turned it on, she would probably only hear static. Or dead air.

She knew its match was out there somewhere, wearing different skin.

But she would likely never see it again...

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REFVIEW! Feel free to tell me if you have any ideas (especially about magical items Fairy Godmother has or what the other kids brought to decorate Carlos' room with). Also questions, theories and corrections. I'll update ASAP! =]**


	7. Sure Things and Supposed-To-Be's

**Sorry for the long wait, my lovely readers! Hopefully a lengthy chapter (25 pages, to be exact) will make up for it.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to kjay15, LukaTheFanboy, pinksakura271, biankies, Paradise-san786, wildflower woods, ravenxxx, CaptainRogersfan, IronSparrow99. SoulNinjas, The Midnight Huntress, rainydays42, EpikalStorms, babygirl2580, digimonfanatic4ever, Pinku Crystaka and smartbrunette3.14. Enjoy! Happy Holidays!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

The letters of Carlos' name came apart as Mal tacked all but one of her sketches of him to the corkboard the hospital had provided. She could only imagine Dr. Porter had been the one to arrange the pins so that they spelled out 'Carlos' to start. And she was almost sorry she had to ruin the design to put up her drawings. She kept the latest one for herself. She was proud of it.

She'd taken something tragic and made it beautiful. It gave her hope that she would see that much light in Carlos' eyes again some day soon.

When her visit was over, she passed Jay in the hall on the way back to the waiting room. He hardly looked at her, his glance shifting between the pillow he was carrying and the stretch of hallway in front of him. She didn't take offense to that. He was focused on where he needed to be.

Back in waiting room, Lonnie was sitting for once. Sweaters were folded on her lap. Some Dude-sized, some Carlos-sized.

Jane had carried a red milk crate in with her. She held it right side up, and a stuffed Dalmatian sat inside. Pictures were placed in the X-shaped joints, so until the crate was overturned Mal could only view them upside down. There were very few shots where Carlos was alone. In most of them, some of the group surrounded him. He liked it better that way.

The milk crate had a bow attached to it, so that Carlos would know who it was from. "That's so inventive." Mal told Jane, knowing that was the perfect way to word the compliment.

"Thank you." Jane said over a light laugh from Doug.

"Mine's not inventive at all." He said, despite the fact that he'd brought an invention. "It just happens to be his, and I thought he might miss it." For the first time since the group got there, Mal got a good look at the thing.

She had to agree with Doug's statement. He probably didn't know it, but he was carrying a recreation of a machine that momentarily burned a hole through the barrier around the Isle of the Lost. Here in Auradon, it was just a black box with lights and nothing to beep about. Carlos must've missed having a reminder of his first big adventure. Why else would he recreate it?

Doug's own 'decorative item' was a mystery to him, but what Audrey brought seemed to be a mystery to everyone else.

That's because when the scavenger hunt happened, the groups split up. Walkie-talkies had been Carlos' idea. Audrey having the one that matched Carlos' color scheme was also his idea. Halfway through the scavenger hunt, when she no longer had a visual on him, she started to think he was keeping some ideas to himself.

 _She crouched down behind a plant, watching other groups scatter across campus, their arms and bags full of random items. She held the button on the side down, feeling awkward about the whole thing. Why couldn't he just text like everyone else? She smiled to herself when she thought that he wasn't like everyone else._

" _Allure to Charisma,. Come in Charisma, over." For a few seconds, she got no answer. She thought her message wasn't getting through. Technically, she was right. But not for the reason she thought._

 _Carlos' voice came over the line. "Wait… am I Charisma?" He sounded distracted, which might explain why it took him a second to end his message the way he'd instructed Audrey. "Over."_

" _Yes," She told him. "Unless there's someone else on this channel I don't know about. Over."_

 _There was another pause, then Carlos simply replied: "Thank you." His smile could be heard in his voice._

" _You're welcome." Audrey said casually. She wasn't sure why that meant so much to him. He'd given her a codename, and she was under the impression that that was just for the purpose of having more fun on this scavenger hunt. She knew she wasn't going to win it. Not without his sharp eyes. "Where are you? Are you okay? Over."_

" _Just great." She wanted to believe that, but it sounded sarcastic. Not to mention he completely neglected to answer her first question. Almost. "I don't exactly know where I'm going."_

 _Audrey didn't wait for him to say 'Over'. "You're LOST?!" She sounded worried, not angry._

" _That's not what I said." The light laugh that accompanied that answer did nothing to calm her nerves. Neither did the fact that he lowered his voice. "I'm just taking a detour, I'll be back to school as soon as I can. Over."_

 _Nothing he said put her mind at ease. "You left campus?! Why, did a squirrel run away with one of the items on the list? Over."_

" _Oh, somebody ran away alright. I can't believe no one else noticed." Halfway through his mumbling, his voice developed a slight shake. Like he hadn't realized his finger was on the button until just then. That's when his voice sped up. "I'll explain later, I'm losing the trail. Don't worry about me. Go have fun. Over and out."_

Those last few words played on repeat in Audrey's mind as she sat there in the waiting room. They weren't the last words he'd said to her before he ended up in the hospital, but they were words that stuck. She couldn't stop herself from hearing them, but it was hard for her to listen. The dance routine was the most fun she allowed herself in over a week. And even then, that was a lot of work.

She wanted to follow Lonnie and Jane's lead, and not slow down. For the time being, all she could do was take in the scenery. Carlos' hospital room was already looking more like home. Or the home that became his home.

When she got there for her visit, she saw the sketches Mal pinned up. She saw the pillow Jay brought placed on the bed. She saw Evie's garment bag hanging on the knob of the bathroom door.

The periodic table of elements was on the corkboard among Mal's sketches. At first, Audrey thought Ben had brought it. Then she noticed the plastic crown incorporating Carlos' favorite color scheme.

Audrey placed the walkie-talkie down next to it. The room was coming together nicely, but it still felt empty to her.

* * *

"Did Carlos tell you about the homing beacon?" Evie asked when Doug returned from his visit.

"That's what it's called?" He hadn't known that.

"That's what we called it," Evie clarified. "because it beeped like it was looking for signals."

He nodded, then sat down next to her. "He told me what it represented. I never knew what it was supposed to do, though. The original, at least. He designed this one to be nothing but a fancy night light."

She giggled. She could see that. "Back on the Isle, it burned a hole through the barrier. But only for a few seconds."

The look in his eyes told her he was amazed that it happened, but he didn't doubt that Carlos was smart enough to manage it. "A lot can happen in just a few seconds. And that was on next-to-no power. If it happened over here-"

Evie interrupted Doug, only to show him that she'd caught onto his thoughts. "He'd bring the barrier down."

They couldn't have that. It would be too much to handle. The children of villains were innocent, but their parents had earned their place on the Isle.

* * *

A cup of crusty barley oatmeal wasn't meant to hold anyone over until dinner. Unfortunately for Freddie Facilier, that _was_ her dinner. She was used to it. Everything on the Isle of the Lost was crusty. Especially the residents. _Prisoners._ She mentally corrected herself, as she managed to scrape up a full spoonful of stuff stuck to the side of the cup.

She held the spoon out in offering. She could hardly believe what her own arm was up to. It was almost as if she was being controlled by one of her father's voodoo curse dolls. In actuality, she was sharing because as much as she wanted to be thought of as a rough-edged rebel, she couldn't let someone starve.

Not unless they did something that surpassed the standards of evil. Something that made all legends of the Isle seem lacking.

Her companion- if she could even call him that- hadn't done much besides mope about since the news of Carlos' condition broke. So the job fell on her to make sure he was fed. Her heel clicked when she stomped on the floor of the shop they were sitting in. The action did nothing to gain his attention. His wrists were crossed at his folded knees, and his head was hung. If it it wasn't for the way his shoulders shifted and shrugged, she wouldn't even be sure he was breathing.

Freddie hadn't known the news was going to affect him at all, until other kids on the Isle started gossiping about it. The way she saw it, the kids who actually cared about what happened to Carlos didn't have much to say. (That might explain her shadow's silence.) The kids who treated the attack like a joke, however, didn't know when to shut up.

 _The scene unfolded right outside her father's shop. The smell of sewage saturated the air, and it seemed the crowd was in competition to see who could be the loudest. Not that that was different from any other day._

" _That kid may be able to throw a party, but he can't throw a punch." One said._

 _She was sure she recognized the voice, but didn't put any effort into figuring out why._

" _He never stood a chance! Not even against an Auradonian prince!" The stress another kid put on those last words showed how pathetic he found that._

 _Freddie made her way to the door, to get a look at the people standing on the other side of it. She didn't have much of a chance for that, because someone else chose to speak his mind just as Diego de Vil was walking by. He was barely listening, but the next sentence proved hard not to hear. "HE REALLY IS A BLOODY SKUNK NOW!"_

 _Freddie expected the next sound she heard to be harsh laughter. Not a body slamming into the side of the building. Both bystander's screams of surprise did nothing to muffle the sound of fists to the face. The others were in the line of fire, and could do nothing to get out of it. They tried running, but ended up face down in a puddle of mud._

 _She knew what she was risking by stepping outside, but she couldn't stop herself. She ignored the two in the mud puddle. They were finding their footing, and she knew they wouldn't think twice about continuing to flee._

 _She went after Diego, sinking her nails into his skin. He flinched, and the guy he'd had pinned still had the sense to get out of the way. Diego didn't notice until his fist hit stone brick._

 _He let loose a scream Freddie could bet wasn't brought on by physical pain._

 _He wasn't ready to give up this fight yet. His opponent, who hadn't gotten a single hit in-managed to hold him off thanks to Freddie's distraction. Diego was screaming as he blocked the path of the boy who dared to test him._

 _For Freddie, the test was to see if she had the decency to stop that. And decency wasn't usually a strong suit for anyone on the Isle._

 _She saw fear flicker in the boy's eyes as blood dripped from his face. The next thing she knew, she was standing between him and Diego. At the sight of her, the screaming stopped._

 _Diego looked disappointed, like delivering this beating was a mission he was forced to abort. That was enough to make him want to scream at her instead._

 _By that point, he remembered how to form words. "He was one of the good ones." He was trying to justify his actions, but she wasn't going to let them go on any longer. "He was one of the good ones!"_

 _Some of the reporters for the Auradon News Network referred to Carlos as 'the sweetest of the redeemed'. Freddie didn't know anyone on the Isle had hope for redemption, but he and his friends had proven her wrong._

 _She didn't know why, but she wanted Diego to have hope for redemption, too. It took seeing him so far from it to figure that out. "Yeah, Carlos IS one of the good ones." She stepped closer, trusting that Diego wasn't out to hurt her, too. She couldn't remember trusting much of anything before. "So, what's he gonna think if you kill somebody?"_

 _Diego's breath caught in his throat. Possibly because she left nearly no room for him to breathe. Without another sound, he stepped out of the way and let the boy pass._

 _He didn't waste any time. He got out of there as fast as his trembling legs could carry him._

 _Freddie watched as he went, and thought she had the situation under control. That the worst of it was over. Then she looked back at Diego._

 _He didn't say so, but he was waiting for her to leave. He didn't want any witnesses for what would happen next. She didn't move. She knew just by looking at him that what happened was history for the others, but it would haunt him._

 _The anger in Diego's eyes disappeared when a single tear slipped out._

 _It was strange, but that scared her more than everything else. Diego had always had some sarcastic comment for his cousin, he never came to his defense. In fact, from the stories she'd heard, he'd contributed to Carlos' abuse. At least in an emotional sense._

 _The way he fought, it seemed like he wished he could've saved him._

Freddie had herself convinced that's what she had to do for Diego. No matter how much she hated it. He made her job tough. He wasn't just refusing to eat, he was refusing to look at her.

"My arm's getting tired." She complained. "Are you gonna make me shove this spoon in your mouth?"

In answer, he reached out for it blindly. She got a good look at his scabbed knuckles when he closed his grip. He swallowed the whole spoonful in one shot, not wanting to savor what he didn't think had a right to be called flavor. He tried to hand her the spoon back, but she wasn't having that.

"The rest is for you. I don't want your slobber-covered spoon." She told him, disgusted by the thought. Diego looked up at her, confusion beating out annoyance. She'd been using that same spoon beforehand, when she ate her share of the oatmeal. She hadn't cleaned it.

He was sure he'd swallowed some of her saliva. He thought about saying that out loud. If someone overhead, they'd likely have a very different interpretation of how that happened. No silverware required.

There was something else Diego wanted to say, once he got done with dinner. "You really think he did it?"

Freddie hadn't expected him to say much of anything lately. Those who had the nerve to talk about the attack would only mention the victim.

That's why she didn't know how to answer at first. She squared her eyes on Diego, studying him. "You don't?" She figured that when he delivered that beatdown, he was looking for someone to blame. It didn't matter who was guilty.

That wasn't what Diego was saying, though. He stared at her for a second before responding. She'd grown accustomed to that look. It was one she only saw when no one else was around. He felt sorry. "He's brutal enough," He began, using his spoon to stab a hole through the bottom of the now-empty cup. "or else he wouldn't be where he is."

* * *

"There's no way all these people are gonna get to see Carlos today." Lonnie said disappointedly. The adults had a busy schedule as it was. They didn't have time to waste sitting around in a waiting room they would only leave once visiting hours were over.

"I know." Audrey agreed. She didn't seem upset about it. "That gave me an idea."

"What is it?" Jane asked curiously.

The group watched as Audrey held up her phone. "I'll film some messages they have for him, and send them around. If we end up with a whole bunch, we can each play them when we visit next time."

"That's genius." Mal complimented. Others nodded in agreement.

"Imagine how good it'll be for him to hear all those voices saying his name." Doug said. "It's gotta be good for something." The group wanted to do as much as they could to help wake Carlos up. That's why they brought in decorations.

And they weren't the only ones. Cadence returned to the waiting room after her visit, and mouthed: "Check your phone" to Jay.

He did as she instructed. The last message sent was a picture of the map she'd left for Carlos. Of Auradon, of course.

"Nice touch." He told her.

She smiled appreciatively. "I hope it helps."

* * *

Audrey found a quiet corner to start filming in. Her first subject was a knight. Not just any knight, she learned. The knight Carlos spoke to when he and the other VKs broke into the museum their first night in Auradon. He'd called when the alarm was triggered, but Carlos quickly shut that down. And explained it away.

The knight knew the full story now, but he still had more of his side to tell.

"Okay, Sir Ross, we're rolling."

Ross spoke quickly and casually, knowing plenty more people wanted to take their turn at this. "Carlos. Don't know if you remember me. We had a real nice chat on the phone once. The best part was your sign off. You told me to say 'hi' to the misses." He looked directly into the camera before continuing on. "My husband's still laughing."

A wide-eyed Audrey covered her mouth with her free hand to stifle her own laughter. "I went home, practically kicked the door in, yelling: 'Have I got a work story for you!' We still talk about it all the time. We just figured you were new. A little young, sure. But you took on that job like it was yours."

Audrey could picture him in that role, given how devoted he'd been to being her scavenger hunt partner. "I'm not saying that _this_ -" The man held up two fingers and pointed them in opposite directions to gesture to the room he was standing in. "should guilt the guys at the museum into giving you the job you interviewed for. I'm saying you _deserve_ that job. You deserve every good thing that's coming to you." Audrey was beaming behind the camera. "Get well soon."

* * *

Dr. Porter didn't feel at home in her own house. She was hardly ever there, but she wanted to give the kids a change of scenery after spending all that time in the waiting room. She didn't get much of that. "I have to get back to work in less than an hour," She told the group, who was crammed together on the furniture in her living room. "but I wanted to thank you for taking my advice." She looked over at Mal, and then Jane. "I wouldn't have known how expressive his eyes are." The pictures in the tabloids didn't capture that. The doctor's focus shifted to Jay. "Or what makes him comfortable." She looked between Evie and Lonnie. "Or what he likes to wear." Her glance shifted from Audrey to Doug. "Or what he likes to do for fun." The doctor made sure to look at Ben at that point, so he wouldn't feel left out. Everyone's contribution was important. "But I've just been drawing my own conclusions." That was the drawback.

"So you wanna hear those stories now?" Lonnie asked, getting a nod in affirmation.

The group turned their attention to Evie, allowing her the chance to go first again.

The outfit she brought to the hospital had significance, but she almost wished it didn't. Not because she didn't want to speak, but because of what he'd said to her when he tried it on.

" _What did I do to deserve this?" Evie was used to hearing that question asked in a negative way, but Carlos seemed fairly happy about the clothes she designed for him. And he would've been happier if he hadn't felt so confused. He appreciated the gift, no matter the reason for it._

 _It occurred to Evie then that her friend didn't know what the reason was. "It's for that event two weeks from tonight. I just want you to look nice. Well, nicer." She quickly revised, sparking a smile as she smoothed out the fabric covering his shoulders. "For the dinner thing."_

 _She was hoping that explanation would be enough to jog his memory. She hadn't figured out all the details yet._

" _Oh, yeah. What's that for anyway?"_

" _Academic achievement." She told him proudly._

" _This kinda thing would never happen at Dragon Hall." He thought aloud. Though that was mostly because food on the Isle was hard to come by as it was. "Is anyone else we know going?"_

 _Evie would've responded sooner, but she was distracted by the sudden mention of Dragon Hall. Most days, she only talked about the Isle in passing. As did Mal and Jay. Carlos found that place harder to talk about than they did. "Uh, I think everyone we knew is going. Except maybe Chad. Fairy Godmother was saying this has been one of Auradon Prep's best years already." She could see why. She and her friends were some of the most improved students._

" _Cool." Carlos said, like her hesitation didn't faze him. Either that, or he figured she needed time to think about it. "Can't wait." For a second, that seemed like all he wanted to say. "Even if Chad was invited, he's probably not gonna show up." He didn't say this to Evie. Or his own reflection. He was looking at his shoes._

" _Why not?" Chad seemed like he loved a party. Even if his only reason for going was so that he could crash it._

 _Carlos shrugged. "He's never around for victory pizza anymore."_

" _Maybe he's just tired of pizza." Evie theorized. She didn't want Carlos worrying about this. Chad could be dramatic, but by then she saw through his act._

" _That's like saying you can get tired of chocolate." Carlos dismissed jokingly._

 _Evie knew exactly what to say to put this to rest. "If he's supposed to be there, he'll be there." She assured. "It's a school function. His parents will make him go. And it'll be good for him. He could use an attitude adjustment."_

 _Carlos chuckled. He knew she had a point, but neither of them realized just how good of a point it was. As rare as this was, they'd benefited from the last time their parents forced them to go somewhere._

"Did anyone even remember we have a dinner to go to on Monday?" Mal asked. Some responded vocally, but most just shook their heads.

Evie told her: " _I_ only remembered because my mirror played this memory for me. Well, a teensy weensy little piece of it, anyway."

"He was right." Ben informed, causing confusion among the others. He made sure to clarify: "Chad was supposed to go." Even before, the group wouldn't mind a break from him. Carlos was a different story.

"I hate this." Audrey mumbled, mad at herself for thinking out loud. She was supposed to be helping Lonnie and Jane keep the others in check. Instead of letting them be consumed by their emotions. "It's because of Chad that everything's a _supposed to_." She said angrily. "Carlos was _supposed to_ go to that dinner with us. Carlos was _supposed to_ be done with his new invention by now."

"That'll happen." Doug insisted. "Just slower." He looked at Dr. Porter when he continued. "I would've bought _that_ to the hospital, but like Audrey said, it's not finished yet."

The doctor didn't mind. This seemed like the more interesting invention story to her. It began the day after Evie fitted Carlos for his new outfit.

 _The plans for Doug's latest collaboration were buried beneath a mountain of wires. Carlos had gathered every device he could find that played audio, and seemed to be drawing inspiration from them. Not that he could draw anything with all that was in the way._

 _Evie watched from where she stood next to Doug, not wanting to disrupt whatever weird rhythm Carlos had gotten himself into._

" _Are you having spaghetti for dinner?" When Doug asked this, she thought she'd missed part of the boys' conversation._

 _By the look on Carlos' face, he'd missed something, too. "What?"_

" _It's this weird thing my uncle says," The older boy explained. "because of all the wires. They get tangled. Like spaghetti." The VKs blinked, and he knew the attempt at a joke was lost on them. "I'll leave you to your work." He told Carlos._

 _He thought about actually leaving, but then Carlos said: "This is your project, too. Besides," He turned to Doug, but gestured to the pile. "what have I done besides make spaghetti?"_

" _You came up with the concept. And if we're gonna build on something that already exists, we need to familiarize ourselves with what's been done before."_

" _So I'm on the right track?" Carlos asked, finding what he'd been building underneath the pile._

" _Definitely." Doug assured._

 _While he worked, Carlos whispered to himself. "I just have no idea where the track is going."_

"He figured it out." Mal told Doug proudly, backed up by a vigorous nod from Evie.

"I had no doubt he would."

"It only took a day." Evie added.

" _Is it my imagination, or are you in here all the time now?" Carlos turned his head so he could look up at Mal. He knew she was addressing him since the only other person there roomed with her._

" _If I was, I'd be breaking some rules." Evie laughed, but Mal didn't find his joke funny. She didn't mean it like that, and he knew it._

" _Don't be smart." She told him sternly. Then, in a mumble, she added: "Okay, I realize that's a challenge for you." (Although she hadn't meant smart as in 'intelligent', either.) She laughed at her own joke, and the others joined in. "What're you workin' on there, anyway?" Evie was curious to know as well, which was why she hadn't brought her attention back to her homework since Mal started this conversation. Her roommate pointed to Carlos' open notebook with the eraser end of her pencil, and rattled off one guess. "A formula for a new compound?"_

" _No." The casual way he dismissed that told her he could create a new compound if he put his mind to it. "I'm revamping my latest project."_

" _The one I saw you working on with Doug?" Evie chimed in._

 _Carlos nodded, and Mal stopped mid-sketch to ask: "What was wrong with your old project?"_

" _Nothing," He turned his body around so he could see the girls better, and put his book down. "but it was just for fun. We wanna make a serious difference with this one."_

" _What's it do?" Evie asked._

" _You know how there are those machines that play nature sounds to help people sleep better?"_

 _He was answered with a question. "That's a thing here?"_

" _Yeah," He told Mal. "and they've gotten some upgrades. With some of them you can upload an entire library of sounds." Not just the ones found in nature. "But they typically only have one jack, so we're trying to make them as universal as possible." As he went on explaining, the girls exchanged glances. "At the same time, we want them to be as personal as possible. The most calming sounds, the sounds that bring back the best memories. They're different, depending on who you ask."_

 _The laugh Evie let out then sounded like it was trying to hide a scoff. Mal noticed, but both girls hoped the inventor didn't. "So, you and Doug are collaborating on something… with the potential to put the whole kingdom to sleep?"_

 _Mal raised her eyebrows at Carlos in mock suspicion. As if he was trying to follow in her mother's footsteps. He took no offense. "It's about making people comfortable."_

 _Evie liked the idea. As much as Mal wanted to be supportive, she didn't get it. "Who wouldn't be comfortable here?"_

" _We weren't." Evie reminded her._

 _When Carlos nodded, Mal felt outnumbered. Since they'd adjusted well, she still didn't see the point. "Okay, but I mean who wouldn't be comfortable here now?"_

 _The girls had seen the excitement in Carlos' eyes when he talked about his invention. For a mere moment, the light that feeling carried flickered out. "Every day can't be a fairytale."_

Those words were weighted. Harsher in hindsight. Something the group now had undeniable proof of.

* * *

There was no such thing as down time for Carlos' friends anymore. They were always working on something. In trying to avoid slowing down, it seemed like everyone was willing to overwork themselves. That wouldn't help the situation, either. They couldn't forget how to have fun.

Ben stood in the doorway of Audrey and Jane's dormroom. He could hear the younger of the two girls talking with Mal down the hall, but couldn't make out their words as they were walking away.

He turned his attention to Audrey. She had yet to take notice of him, since she was looking at herself in the mirror. He was going to make his presence known, but curiosity kept him quiet. Besides, she seemed to be enjoying herself. And that was a welcome sight especially now that it was so rare. He wondered what she was up to, and got a hunch when he saw the bows in her hands.

One by one, she tried them on. She didn't get through many before Ben could no longer resist speaking through his smile.

"What're you doing?" He really had no reason to ask. She used to do the same thing with all of his suit jackets.

"Nothing." Audrey answered, a bit too quickly. Part of her knew that was pointless to say. It was clearly not nothing. As far as she was concerned, though, it could never be anything other than what it was. She turned to Ben as she took a bow headband out of her hair. "they look better on Jane anyway."

"Congratulations on nothing, then." He told her teasingly, with a twinkle in his eye.

This only made her angry. "Exactly, because there's nothing to congratulate us on." She turned her back on him when she went to go put the bows away.

His face fell. He knew he was right about this. Just not quite as right as he hoped to be. "So the bows are just… wishful thinking then?" He was trying to understand how she felt. It was different this time. She'd only tried on his suit jackets when the two of them were an established couple.

"I'm not wishing for anything, Ben." By her tone, he could tell that she wanted to. She just wouldn't let herself.

"Why not?" (As king, he couldn't keep everyone happy. He considered it his job as Audrey's friend to try to keep her happy.) The look she gave him then told him he should know why. Part of him did, but he wasn't going to accept what she had yet to say. "Audrey."

"Because we're in crisis!" Her argument only drove his.

"That's all the more reason. You saw how lucky I am to have Mal to help me through this." When Ben said that, he reminded himself that he hadn't done much to show that lately.

"You were together before." Audrey pointed out. He didn't know why that made any difference to her, but he was about to find out. "If I were to say something now, it would be selfish." She didn't want her friends to ever see her as selfish again.

Ben's mouth dropped slightly, and he was silent for a few seconds. Then he he looked at Audrey directly, and found words he hoped she would take to heart. "True love could never be selfish."

Audrey had a lot of love in her life. Ben didn't want her closing herself off to finding more of it.

* * *

"What were you and Jane talking about?"

"We took some inspiration from you." Mal told Ben, after moving her eyes away from the TV in the student lounge, which was practically empty aside from them. The movie playing on screen was one she'd never seen before, but it didn't hold her attention long because she was in the middle of making plans. "And Chad, I guess." That felt weird to say. "We figured 'every magical being in the kingdom' included us, so we asked Fairy Godmother if she could train us."

Ben was impressed. "You started a new class?" His voice was as low as it had been since the start of the conversation, since she was sitting on his lap.

"Well, right now it's a class of two." She said, looking up at him.

"Still." That did nothing to devalue the effort for Ben.

Mal smiled. He always made her feel proud of her accomplishments. Unlike who she was about to mention. "We're thinking about finding a way to get inside my mother's mind."

"That sounds complicated." Ben said. After a beat, he added: "And dangerous."

"I know." Mal agreed, her voice softer than it had been seconds ago. "She might have some useful information, but she'll probably keep it to herself out of spite." She rolled her eyes, but Ben had some reassurance to offer.

"Whatever happens with her, we're gonna figure this out."

She nodded, confident in that, then looked back at the TV screen. After a few seconds, she let out a laugh. "This movie is ridiculous."

He took her statement seriously, even though he found the way she phrased it amusing. "Why?" He sent her a smile as he finished his question. "You don't believe that a girl who thinks she's ordinary could find love with a prince?" That seemed strange, since it happened to her.

'Ordinary' wasn't the word Mal would use to describe her former self. She'd seen herself as her mother's worst mistake. And greatest disappointment. That was beside the point. "I meant it's ridiculous because they're making out in the library and no one noticed." She gestured to the screen, because apparently Ben hadn't noticed, either.

Really, he had never given it much thought before. He couldn't quiet the thought that crossed his mind then, though. It was given voice as another, more playful, whisper. "Well, let's test it."

He felt her spine go stiff at the words, thanks to surprise. Her eyes were glowing, but not in a menacing way. " _What_?"

He knew she heard him. It's not that she wasn't interested, she just couldn't believe he was the one who brought it up. So boldly, too. "C'mon."

That was all it took for them to be up and running in the direction of the library. He thought about carrying her since she had already been on his lap, but they figured that would draw even more attention.

Once inside, the slipped behind one of the shelves and crammed themselves into a corner. It wasn't the most comfortable spot, and that's why they had it all to themselves.

They had to take a moment to catch their breath before becoming each other's oxygen supply.

In that time, Ben ran his thumb up and down Mal's arm. The touch felt like home, a place that had taken her years to find. It reminded her that she would be safe with him, no matter where she ventured.

As this was a place that they had never been.

It may have been Ben's idea, but Mal made the first move. It happened in a flash. Her head titled, she leaned in, her eyes closed, and her lips crash landed on his. The smallest fraction of a second beforehand, his eyes shut tight like he was bracing for impact. He was no more gentle than she. He kissed back harder, and for a second it seemed like he'd turned it into a competition. In actuality, all the words they couldn't say to each other fueled the fire in that kiss. All the guilt they felt, convinced they failed as leaders. All the fear in their hearts, which were beating like they might burst.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, and the shift was so quick she left a few stray nail marks behind. Her frame collapsed into his, and his back pressed against the bookshelf behind him. Her feet no longer touched the ground when he lifted her up with one arm. (The other accidentally knocking over a few books.) He made a quick turn, so she had just enough room to wrap her legs around his waist. If she had anything on her mind besides kissing until her lips swelled, she might've been glad she wore a skirt with slits.

Mal's hands were then free to run through Ben's hair. Just as he hooked his other arm around her, a voice cut their moment short. "Has anyone seen my son?" The question let them know that they hadn't been caught. Yet.

The couple broke apart, quickly trying to fix the mess they'd made. Ben put the books back on the shelf- having no time to care what order they ended up in- while Mal brushed his hair back into place.

Mal stayed put, hidden in that corner, and Ben stepped out to where he could be seen.

"Dad."

The former king turned away from the circulation desk he'd been standing in front of. "Oh, there you are." He said nonchalantly. "It's been a long day, so I thought I'd bring you home." He stepped forward, making Ben worry he was onto him before he even spoke again. "Unless you're too busy right now."

"Busy? No, no… I'm-I'm not busy." Ben knew he was stammering, but he couldn't stop himself.

His father didn't seem fazed by it. "Okay. Ready to go then?"

"Yeah, sure. Let's go." With that, the two of them headed toward the door, Since Adam wasn't bothered by the babbling, Ben figured that meant his moment with Mal went by unnoticed. _Sometimes art imitates life._ The king smiled to himself.

No sooner than he finished his thought, Adam quietly called back: "Bye, Mal."

He heard his son stop in his tracks. Mal emerged from her hiding spot, looking paler than usual. "Bye." She was surprised she could manage that much in her shock.

When Ben recovered from his embarrassment, he joined his father outside the library. "How did you…" He trailed off. His head was still spinning over the whole experience.

Adam gave him a look. How could he _not_ know? "I'm your father." After a beat, he added: "Plus, you forgot to fix your collar." He took care of that for him.

"Am I in trouble?" Some would find this question strange, coming from the king of Auradon, but- as he'd been reminded- Ben was Adam's son first.

His father sighed softly, giving the impression that he knew he didn't have control over situations like this. "The only reason you're not in trouble is because _I'm_ the one who caught you." Someone else might not have had such a laid back reaction. He pointed behind him as he finished his thought. "What do you think your mother would have to say about that?"

Somehow, that was a scarier scenario. "I don't wanna think about that." Ben admitted.

Adam laughed a little, then got serious again. He cupped Ben's shoulder and said: "Three things you should know." A finger went up with each point he made.

"Take care of each other." Ben and Mal already did that, but it couldn't hurt to be reminded to keep that up.

"Don't do anything _stupid_." The stress on that last word really helped that advice stick, if the gulp Ben failed to stifle was anything to go by.

Adam's voice softened as he finished his thought. "And I love you both."

Ben smiled despite his confusion. He'd been expecting something completely different.

The way his father saw it, that was the most important part.

* * *

"I didn't think you'd be back." Chad's tone was full of honest surprise, but he left out the part about how he was _hoping_ Ben wouldn't be back to see him. That was lying by omission. He watched Ben through heavy eyes, wondering what the point of this visit was.

"What makes you so tired all the time?" The king asked, worried the prisoner's health was declining. It scared him to think that maybe Chad really was trying to make himself sick.

The other boy laughed, and it sounded like it pained him to do so. Ben could bet Chad's ribs were aching from bashing against the bars every night without fail. Aside from his first night, that habit was the only complaint he made about being locked up. (Ben was starting to think he was sleepwalking or something.)

"I'm tired from not doing anything _all_ day. Plus, I hate sleeping here." Chad was starting to remember, but sleep would make him forget. Each dream he had made it harder to sort out what happened in the waking life.

Everything he knew, he knew in pieces. The lake. The bullet. The gun. The spell.

Evil dreams was a side effect of that. He'd always known as much. He just didn't know how. Until that morning.

Ben had another question, but before he could voice it, Chad asked one of his own.

"Did you feel sorry for Carlos?"

He was banking on that being a loaded question. One that would get Ben to leave the dungeon before dark. The king was caught off guard. For awhile, he could do nothing but stare. So Chad continued talking. "Before he came here. Before… what happened."

The shock was shaken off Ben then, since he couldn't help wondering why Chad wouldn't say what happened outright. Everyone already knew that part of the story. "Yes." The king said finally. That was an obvious answer, and Ben couldn't see why Chad was fishing for it. Whatever the reason, he seemed satisfied.

His smirk vanished as quickly as it formed. His eyes suddenly shifted their focus, like he'd seen something Ben didn't.

But they were the only ones there.

"Before, I felt sorry for all the children on the Isle." Ben went on. He wasn't sure if that would clear whatever was clouding Chad's mind. "Now, I feel sorry for everyone here." He focused his glance on the prisoner's heavy eyes and added: " Including you."

Contrary to what Ben thought, that didn't hurt to admit. Although it looked like it hurt Chad to hear.

* * *

"Are we supposed to be doing this?" Evie asked, looking up at the darkening sky from where she was now floating in the water all on her own. With Doug as her spotter.

"I don't think there's any rule against getting in some extra swim practice."

"I meant are we supposed to be swimming this late." She clarified.

"Oh." He said, thinking that made much more sense. "Probably not. But I know how much you like the water."

She wanted to be happy that Doug wasn't afraid to bend the rules a bit. But she couldn't be. Not after what he just said.

Without warning, she flipped herself over. Doug immediately reached out to steady her, but she found her footing since the water was shallow enough for them to stand in.

He knew she'd done that on purpose, and the look in his eyes told her that he wanted to know why.

Evie answered his unspoken question with a spoken one. "Isn't that sickening to you?" She sounded ashamed of herself.

"Why would it be?" He asked innocently.

She didn't like having to spell it out, but she was angry at herself. Not him. "My best friend nearly _drowned_ , Doug."

He was surprised by his own argument. "You're not the reason for that."

"I know, but everyone else is doing this because they _have_ to." That's why she was the only one who showed up for extra practice.

"You don't have to be mad at yourself for enjoying it." His eyes were focused on her as much as he could manage without his glasses. "You love to learn. That's beautiful."

She didn't think so. "It makes me feel like I'm acting like everything's better already."

That would take time. "I think part of how we make it better is by not making it worse on ourselves."

"Maybe this isn't the best thinking spot." Evie said, not knowing if she should feel better or not. "I couldn't come up with that on my own."

Doug shrugged. "You just needed a thinking buddy." He was worried these words wouldn't help, and his feelings of inferiority crept up again.

Evie quieted them with her catching smile.

* * *

Mal couldn't stop her smile as she lied down for the night. Her mind wasn't weighed down by the past, it felt free to wander about the new adventures magic class would bring. Her heart wasn't heavy over a kiss cut short, but filled with the promise of many more kisses in her future.

Jay was doing some last-minute homework. An assignment he made up for himself. Almost everyone he knew was hopping on that bandwagon, giving themselves projects to do until Carlos woke up.

Just because Jay wasn't vocal about what his project was, didn't mean that it wasn't important. For once, he felt relieved to be in the room by himself.

Carlos had left him alone quite a few times prior to the attack, and the silence was never comfortable.

Not until now, where the pictures Jay was scrolling through without a sound were hidden away from prying eyes. The light from his phone screen was the only thing keeping him from being consumed by darkness.

Evie played the memory montage over in her magic mirror, seeing the first three moments differently now that she knew how they tied together.

Monday's dinner would celebrate excellence. Doug had challenged himself to finish the invention he worked on with Carlos by then, as an example of the progress villain kids had made at Auradon Prep.

The Evil Queen's daughter knew she would understand the majority of the memories more once she heard the stories behind them. Apart from the last one.

Her eyes locked on Carlos' in the last clip. She felt his fear run through her.

This time, she held onto the mirror, fighting off the pain that came from knowing one of the storytellers wasn't around to share his version of the events.

* * *

"I like this map." One of the members of Dr. Porter's team told her.

"Me too. It keeps grabbing my attention." She didn't understand why she thought it was so special. She knew what the kingdom looked like.

"You gonna follow it?" Another asked.

"To what?" The suggestion was simple, but hard to understand.

"Whatever keeps makin' you look back up there."

It didn't seem like a bad idea. Especially since the newest pile of books had proven to be another dry spell at this point. So she nodded. "If I can figure out how."

Something told her there was a lot more work to be done soon. She looked down at her patient. He was staying strong, and it made her smile to know that he wanted to heal people. Just like she did.

His scars were likely extra reasons for why he wanted to make people feel better. Carlos had known great pain, and he had the marks for proof. Most were hidden under fabric and bandages.

The one this attack had left behind had lost its glow, but she had a feeling it would be back. It was the stamp of a spell, and a story of survival. She wondered what else it could be.

She gave into an instinct she didn't think she should have, being that she didn't have any children of her own. She kept her eyes on the monitor- which was still showing a lot of good signs- and placed her hand over her patient's.

* * *

 _The purpose of hanging around Jafar's Junk Shop was completely lost on Carlos. He never found anything worth having._

 _One of his best friends did live there, though. (If that could be called living.) That was the only selling point._ _He wasn't sure why he was treating the place like a safe house. Those didn't exist on the Isle. He hadn't needed a reason to get away from his mother. Strange as that was, it allowed him to breathe easy. After their trip to the market, she let him go off on his own. She said she had a surprise for him, and he couldn't be around while she was preparing it._

 _Carlos couldn't believe it, but he almost trusted that that wasn't some sort of trick. Almost._

 _He didn't like feeling alone, and he doubted Jay did. Even if the older boy wouldn't admit it. So the two of them sat there, propped up against the shelves. Carlos was content, for the most part._

 _He felt like that all the time now. Comfortable, and constantly wondering why. The Isle wasn't a comfortable place to be._

" _The girls say I'm different." That was the only thing making him uncomfortable at the moment. He wanted Jay to dismiss the thought, so it would stop nagging at him._

" _You are different."_

 _Carlos could feel his face contort. His eyes bulged. This was scaring him. He could sense a change in himself, but he didn't know what brought it on._

 _More than scared, it made him feel stupid. And- despite his love for learning- that happened a lot._

" _Relax." The word wasn't exactly reassuring. Carlos figured he must look like someone told him stray dogs would soon be sent over to the Isle. He heard Jay's weight shift from across the room, and realized he hadn't been looking over there. When he titled his head up to focus on the spot where Jay used to be, he saw that he was actually much closer._

 _That lingering thought about dogs remained, at the sight of Jay on all fours. He was practically crawling over to where Carlos was, and didn't take his time. He didn't speak again until he was inches away. "I like it."_

 _Carlos froze for fear that moving would somehow ruin the moment. Or maybe the fact that it happened is what stunned him into stillness._

 _His confusion hadn't lifted, but he was no longer upset about it. He felt warmth spread through his cheeks. He didn't mind that, either._ _He let himself be seen._

* * *

"I had the investigators rush the results. They're analyzing the dirt to find out where you were that day. They should have some answers by this afternoon."

"And I'm the last to know." Chad sounded sure of that, but he actually didn't expect to be in on this at all.

"You're the _first_." Adam clarified. "This was your idea." By the look on Chad's face, he was trying to remember if he ever explained why he'd used his own teeth as a nail clipper in the first place. He hadn't.

And why would he? He wasn't the good guy here.

"I get a good read on you when you're not pretending to be twenty different people." Adam didn't think Chad had anything to gain from what little he had contributed to the case. Maybe that was the point, though. "I'd say 'thank you', but you're trying to act like you haven't helped us, so…" The former king trailed off, catching a glimpse the one eye that wasn't hidden behind a metal bar at the moment.

Chad noticed that the man made a point to give thanks anyway, even if he acted like he didn't. Something about that made his stomach turn.

The boy's mouth dropped slightly, and then he said something neither of them were expecting to hear. "I miss my parents."

It hadn't struck Adam until then that the only people who visited Chad were the ones holding him prisoner.

* * *

The places on the Isle of the Lost that had been abandoned looked darker than everywhere else. They gave off the vibe that people vacated because there was some dangerous force that pushed them out. None of them looked like the type of place an Auradonian would seek shelter in. Then again, Jafar and Grimhilde were hunting down some out-of-the-ordinary Auradonians.

An 'X' was drawn on the map for every place the team cleared. It was clear the Evil Queen was growing frustrated and bored.

"Did you expect for us to be done by now?" Jafar questioned.

"These are people who never had to hide from anything in their lives before. Of _course_ I expected to be done by now!" She stamped her foot for emphasis. making an old plate clatter off a busted up table and crash to the ground.

"These people plotted to hurt someone." Jafar said, though she didn't need a reminder. "Trust me, that involved hiding." Maybe not in a physical sense, until they were inside the Isle's barrier, but they had to hide for awhile.

Instead of answering, she echoed: " _Trust me?"_ That was quite possibly the strangest thing Jafar had ever said to her.

He angrily marked another 'X', ripping a hole through part of the paper.

"Save that anger for the Auradonians." The Evil Queen told him. "We should've taken the cat." She huffed.

"Why? Would you use her to sniff them out?" That sounded like a job better fit for a dog, and there weren't any of those around.

It wasn't the job she had in mind, either. " _No_. I'd throw her at them. Make her _claw their eyes out_!" She bent her fingers in demonstration.

"So very heroic." He said sarcastically.

"It wasn't supposed to be. We're not real heroes. You called it a game, remember? We're only pretending."

He didn't respond. His mind was back on what the girl with good ears, Niraya, tried to tell him. Though he couldn't really remember what that was. He wondered if he'd ignored good advice. That's what he felt he needed. Advice on how to be good.

* * *

"Why the sudden interest in golfing, sire?" Lumiere asked, before returning his attention to the window. He didn't seem to mind the strong rays of the Sunday morning sun.

"I owe him this." Ben said simply.

A curious expression entered the man's eyes. "Did you lose a bet?"

Ben chuckled behind closed lips. "No, no. I found something, actually." When he first heard his father's reaction to the mere mention of Maleficent, he never imagined having approval to date her daughter.

Turns out, he didn't know how good he had it.

His friend didn't exactly understand his explanation, but he wasn't bothered by that. "Have fun." He wished.

That had been the intention. It wasn't that the sport had Ben bored, he just had too much on his mind to actually focus on the game. That was a common occurrence these days.

A drizzle of rain fell on the green. This wasn't something they anticipated, and it had Adam convinced Ben would want to quit playing before he even asked.

"Do you wanna head back, or play through?" It was a casual question, but Ben saw it as deep.

"It's all about playing through now."

The man smiled. He'd been meaning to talk about that. It was part of the reason he'd asked his son to go golfing with him. "That wasn't supposed to be metaphorical, but… I'm really proud of how you're not giving up on any of your friends. You won't let them the be less of who they are."

Ben knew he had some influence in that, but it wasn't all him. Still, he said: "That's what leaders are supposed to do."

"You have so much faith in them."

"And that's a bad thing?" It sounded that way when Adam said it.

"No." The man countered, with a shake of his head. "What I don't understand is how you can doubt yourself." His suddenly sad eyes stayed on his son.

Ben wasn't looking for sympathy. He'd made up his mind about this, and accepted the fact that there was no changing it. "Because I let this happen." He didn't drop his club to be dramatic, he just didn't see the point in trying to play through after all.

"This isn't your fault!"

At those words, Ben was glad he was no longer holding a blunt object. His glaring stare was weapon enough. " _Now_ you say that."

Adam walked into that one. What Ben didn't realize is that he did so on purpose.

"Because I was too scared to say it before." He dropped his club as well, and hurried back to the spot right in front of where his son was standing. That way he could really get his message across.

"You were fixing what was broken, Ben. You were learning from my mistake."

The awestruck look on Ben's face confirmed what he already knew. He never owned up to that before. "You were making it better, when we would've just… let it go on as it was. You can't blame yourself because we haven't figured it all out yet. And you can't give up on yourself." Adam warned. "Because then we never will."

Ben didn't agree with that. "You can solve this without me."

"Maybe, but it won't be as fulfilling." Ben was going to argue again, but decided against it when his father pointed to him and said: "You allowed yourself a moment yesterday." He wondered why. It'd been awhile.

Adam didn't have to wonder. "You couldn't imagine getting through this without Mal, could you? Now that you know her, you can't go back to who you were. Don't make her have to do that."

Ben's eyes looked down at the dampening ground. He wouldn't dare put her through such torture.

"I think part of the reason Mal fell for you is that you kept fighting even when it seemed like you were the only one on your side. You're not alone here, Ben."

"Sometimes that's the worst part about it." The boy admitted. "Because if I mess up, it affects everyone."

If anyone could understand that, it was Adam. "You've got an army behind you." That wasn't exactly it. "You've got an army _beside_ you!" The man revised, unable to keep himself from smiling. And happy about that, too. "They trust in their king." He knew that wouldn't matter as much to Ben as what he said before pulling him into a hug. "They trust in their friend."

* * *

"The results are in." The investigators looked over at their colleague, who wasn't going to waste time burying the lead. "Some of this dirt was traced back to further away from the Enchanted Lake."

The top investigator questioned that. "So you're saying we have _two_ crime scenes?" He was already thinking about who would be sent out into the field again. Until he saw the look on the forensic soil analyst's face.

She was holding something back out of sheer disbelief, but it was her job not to. So finished her thought as she placed the proof of what she found down on the table in front of the others. While some looked down, her eyes stayed set on the rest of them.

"Make that three…"

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE review! I think it's a safe bet that next chapter will be another kick-it-up-a-notch deal.**

 **Feel free to let me know if you have ideas/theories/question/corrections. As well as anything you want me to elaborate on. I'll update ASAP! =]**


	8. Detective Work and Driven Wedges

**Sorry for the long wait, my lovely readers! I'm so happy to get back to writing. Originally this chapter was going to span three or four days, but I didn't wanna give you guys clue overload. Instead it covers one day, ending on a scene the following morning. There's three flashback (AKA mirror memories) and one limbo dream (featuring Jafar).**

 **I had SO much fun writing this chapter. There's lots of leftover ideas that will end up in the next.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to biankies, pinkcrazyness, pinksakura271, kjay15, unknownfangirl10, Gokartgirl, dliteful1, Jayla247, Paradise-san786, RaeWolf313, Ms. , .Abigail Swiftwater, Fang and Altair, BlackPunkPrincess, Sia Doll, Dylan Sangster, Sonic Raynboom, starkresurection, MusicIsLife823**  
 **and IWantColoredRain. Sorry if I missed anyone, my story notes always get jumbled when I add to them at school. Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

Evie, Mal and Jay stood outside the doors of the Museum of Cultural History, peering through the glass. What they saw inside reminded them of the last time they'd been there. Apart from a guard, the place was once again a ghost town. It didn't open early on Sundays.

"You guys ready?" Mal asked, thinking they'd move in on her signal. No spellbook needed this time around.

Evie gave a firm nod, but Jay hesitated. First, he glanced to his other side. Purely out of habit. No one was there.

Behind him, the other members of the group had broken off into teams of two. Suddenly it didn't seem fair to him that one of them got paired up with a dog.

He looked back at Mal, who was impatiently awaiting his answer. "Actually, I'm gonna go with Lonnie."

"Okay," Mal didn't mind that. The part that bothered her was that he hadn't mentioned it before. "why didn't you just say so?"

"I didn't think of it." His mind was too preoccupied with the mission his friends from the Isle had taken on. They were going to view the security footage, since the museum was Carlos' last known location prior to where the attack happened.

Jay joined Lonnie where she stood.

When Mal turned to face the others, Jay worried she was going to try to make him change his mind. In actuality, she just wanted to run through the plan one more time. "Guys." She began, to ensure she had everyone's attention. "Evie and I will stay here with the guard." She pointed to the two directly in front of her. "Ben and Audrey will go to the coffee shop."

He nodded, at the same time Audrey asked: "We will?" She looked between the couple, her eyes filled with confusion.

"My dad had a lead." He told her. And though Adam was no longer following it, he was too stubborn not to.

"Oh." Audrey said, allowing Mal to go on with the game plan.

She wasn't completely sure of the next part herself, though. Her statement came out strong, but there was a questioning look in her eyes. "Doug and Jane will go back to school."

"We're following the scavenger hunt route again." Jane explained.

Doug backed her up. "Jane knows it best because she won."

Mal didn't doubt that. She just didn't see why they met up with the others when they could've stayed behind. Though the AKs _did_ have the luxury of going home on the weekends. For the VKs, home _was_ school.

Instead of saying that out loud, Mal nodded in agreement. Then she mapped out the rest of the play. "Jay and Lonnie will go to the pet store and we'll all meet up later at the Golden Flower." Mal hated the way she phrased that. It made it seem like she and the others were playing detective, rather than trying to help solve a crime. Because of this, the statement she finished with wasn't much of a strong one. "Hopefully we'll have something to report back to Dr. Porter when we get there."

* * *

"Something must've happened before the bridge." 'Before the bridge' was how Adam and Belle referred to the place the dirt under Chad's nails led the investigators to. As far as the former king knew, there were two crime scenes. This sort of thing had become typical table talk. They were discussing it over breakfast.

"Maybe that's where it all started." Belle responded.

"I'll go talk to Chad. See if he remembers anything else."

She didn't know if that was such a good idea. "Even if he does, do you think he'd admit it?"

He might not, but that wouldn't stop Adam from going down to the dungeon. "I have to try. The only reason we know there are two crime scenes is because of Chad." He pointed out. "He's trying to help, he just doesn't want the credit."

"Why not?" His wife questioned. That was one question he didn't have the answer for.

* * *

Once the other detectiving duos dispersed, Mal knocked on the museum door to get the guard's attention. He knew they were there, but he'd seen them talking outside and didn't want to disturb them.

He unlocked the door and turned the knob. "It's so much easier when someone opens the door for ya, right?" He asked. Mal and Evie looked between each other, for some cue on what to say next. They came up with nothing, but both wondered why they were still being allowed in if they'd been found out. The guard only chuckled. "C'mon in."

As they walked, the girl's saw the name on his ID badge: Greland.

The girls followed Greland to the surveillance area, and he rewound the footage to the last two times Carlos was at the museum. First, they saw the minutes before his follow up interview. He was sitting outside the curator's office, with a couple of other interviewees.

Evie knew she was supposed to be keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, but she couldn't help saying what she did next. "He looks so good." Normally, she wouldn't be surprised. He had good fashion sense, especially under some of her direction, but what he chose to wear that day was so simple. So plain. And he made it work.

Mal noticed something else. "He looks so nervous." He was wringing his hands like he didn't know what to do with them, and staring down at his feet.

The guard wondered why Carlos thought he had a reason to be nervous. He expressed that opinion as he rewound the footage more. "No need. The job's his."

By that, the girls knew he'd never found that out. "What happened to the clothes he was wearing. Did the investigators find them?"

"No," Greland answered. "We did. He was in such a rush to leave, he forgot them." The footage from the day of the initial interview began playing then. "We didn't notice because we haven't had to open until today." It may have taken the staff awhile to notice what Carlos left behind, but it didn't take long at all for the guard to see that something was off with the footage.

Like with the follow up interview, all the interviewees were seated outside the curator's office. Except one.

"Couldn't find that guy a chair?" Mal was only half-joking, catching a bad vibe off the man in the footage. As she went to point to him, he'd already gotten out of frame.

The guard rewound the footage just a tad and paused it, hoping to get a clear picture. As he did so, he said what Mal and Evie feared he would. "We weren't expecting him."

* * *

The mysterious man found on the museum surveillance footage wasn't the only unexpected visitor seen that morning. In an effort to coax some more information out of Chad, Adam phoned his parents.

They agreed to come, but being down in the dungeon made this feel more real than it had since the news first broke. Maybe that was what they needed.

When Chad caught sight of them walking through the tunnel, he hoped that delirium set in and he was hallucinating. Somehow, the sight of Cinderella scared him more than anything he'd thought he'd seen behind bars before. "She's not like her." He reminded himself, not realizing the thought left his head. His voice was too low to be heard by the approaching adults.

Cinderella picked up the pace, so she reached Chad before the others. Without a word, she brought a hand up to rest on one of the bars, hoping her son would do the same so they could touch.

The men behind her caught up in time to see the boy's hands twitch, but never leave his sides.

She looked sadder than she had a second ago.

"Chad," his father began softly. He didn't understand his reluctance, but he acted like he did. "we didn't know if you wanted to see us. We thought it might be too hard…" He trailed off before he could specify who it would be hard for.

Cinderella had something to add. "For awhile, I was afraid to go anywhere. I was selfish. You needed us." The three adults waited to see if her sorrowful tone had any impact on Chad.

It did, but not the kind they'd hoped for. "You're wrong," He told her bluntly. All three adults looked hurt by this, and that was the exact reaction he was going for. "but it's okay…" His tone sounded a bit brighter then, but it didn't make them feel any better. And what he said next twisted the knife even more. "mothers don't always know best."

In the moment that followed, it was as if he could see straight through his mother's eyes to her breaking heart. It took all the strength Chad had in him to keep the contrived grin on his face.

* * *

"I haven't talked to her yet." Audrey informed Ben as they walked into the coffee shop. She sounded disappointed in herself.

He, on the other hand, understood why she hadn't found the time to talk to Jane. "We haven't had a lot of free time today."

She gave a slow nod in reply. He was right about that, but she didn't see it as any excuse. "Yeah, but we're roommates. I was with her this morning."

By that logic, the king could only think of one way to respond. "And you'll be with her tonight. You can do this." He told her encouragingly.

"Telling her's not the tough part." Audrey admitted. It was Jane's reaction that she wasn't ready for.

Even on a Sunday afternoon, the coffee shop was swarming with customers. The kids didn't think they'd be able to get a word in edgewise, unless that word was an order. And they weren't here for the refreshments. They were looking for clues.

They split up to search. It wasn't hard not to be noticed. So many people were shuffling around that they didn't have time to stop and see who they were passing.

It took awhile, but Audrey finally found something worth noting. She had to relocate Ben so she could show him.

The two stood in front of a whiteboard with the weekly schedule written out. A shoddy job at erasing gave away the fact that shifts had been moved around.

"Someone's working overtime." Audrey said, feeling sorry for whoever had to work a double shift. She hadn't heard any complaints, but perhaps goblins only said those in their native language.

"Yeah," Ben agreed. But unlike her, he didn't sound sorry. He sounded suspicious. Because the change of shifts made something obvious to him. "and someone else has been fired."

* * *

When Adam went down to the dungeon, he promised himself that he wouldn't report back to Belle and the others until he had some new information for them. And while Chad shunning his parents was new, it wasn't the kind of information they were looking for.

Chad looked disappointed that he hadn't managed to get him to go away. "Are you just gonna sit them all day?" The prisoner asked. He managed to sound annoyed and intimidated all at once.

The former king was right on the other side of the bars. No doubt his clothes were full of dirt. Since he hadn't managed to get a direct answer out of Chad that morning, he wasn't going to give him one. At least, not right away. "What you did… with your nails, that led somewhere. And I thought that if I told you, you'd remember more." Adam had already established that Chad wasn't trying to forget. "And I thought you'd be happy I brought your parents along because you said you missed them." Never mind the fact that he hadn't meant to. "I don't understand what's happening. So I'm gonna sit here until I do."

"Okay," Chad replied, knowing there was no way of avoiding that. "but I think you're wrong, too."

Adam didn't take offense to that. Not after the conversation he'd had with Ben on the golf course. "Wrong about what?"

"You know what I'm doing." Chad clarified.

"Shutting people out?" The former king guessed, but it was obvious he didn't want to be right.

"Exactly."

"Why?" As long as the man had him talking, he wasn't going to stop asking questions.

"Because it's easy." The boy responded, like it'd been fun for him. Try as he might to convince Adam of that, he was unsuccessful. "I can't remember a time when I didn't take the easy road." When he said that, it sounded like he was thinking back. It sounded like he could've drowned in the flood of memories.

"That act you put on for them didn't seem easy for you." Adam could see the slip in his smile, and hoped it hadn't gone undetected by the others.

Chad shrugged that off as if it didn't matter to him. "It's easier if my parents hate me," He began, looking like he knew what he was about to say to be true for a long time. "everyone else does."

* * *

Jane felt that retracing her steps was leading nowhere. Doug agreed, but that had been his assignment. And it wasn't like him to shy away from an assignment.

They were sitting on stage in the auditorium -the ninth stop along their route, since they decided to work backwards- about ready to call it curtains.

"So far, the only thing we have is a picture of the visitor's sign-in sheet from the day of the scavenger hunt." Doug recalled. "There's gotta be a name that doesn't fit, or a name that's made up or… something."

She nodded. From what Mal and Evie had phoned to tell them about, it was safe to say that Carlos had had eyes on him for awhile. "I may have won the scavenger hunt, but I'm not winning any awards for my detective work. That's for sure."

Doug didn't want her to get discouraged. "Aw, c'mon. How about we search one more place before we go join the others?"

"Okay." She agreed, under a sigh.

The library was their last stop. Like every other location on their list, she remembered what she found there. Especially since she was on her own at the time. He was more concerned with how she reached it.

"How'd you get up there?" He asked, eying the now-empty space on the shelf.

"I stood on my tiptoes. Plus, I used the stool." She answered, going to tap it with her foot. She expected it to be right where it always was, but wound up giving a light kick to the air,

"What stool?" Doug asked, seeing her eyes scan the room for it. There were plenty of objects around to give students a bit more height, but not the specific one she was looking for.

"The one that's missing."

* * *

It was nearing time for the kids to regroup at the hospital. Jay and Lonnie had talked to every single pet store employee, but hadn't learned anything that would help them with the case. One offered to see if they could spot Carlos on the security footage, but doubted they'd be able to see much. Traffic flowed well around here. Customers didn't have to do a lot of waiting around.

Lonnie decided to risk it. "What if we catch a glimpse of the guy Mal and Evie saw at the museum?" For her, it was a chance they had to take.

"I dunno-" Jay started to object.

By the look in his eyes, she could tell he was worried about catching a glimpse of someone else. And that's when she realized why he agreed to go with her in the first place. She might've crossed her arms if she wasn't holding Dude. "Why don't you wanna see Carlos like he was before? Are you scared?"

"The only thing that scares me is that you say 'like he was before' like he's never gonna be that way _again_." Jay clarified.

Lonnie looked hurt. That wasn't how she meant it. "I think you're scared that I'll see you being vulnerable."

In light of recent events, Jay didn't see how that would be different from any other day. "We're all vulnerable."

"Okay," She said gently. For a second, he thought she wasn't going to press the matter more. He thought wrong. "but it's _different_ for you." It was almost like she was waiting for him to flinch, and he wouldn't dare. There was no way she could know why it was different for him. Even if her tone implied that she did. "Remember what Jane said? About letting us see?"

"We weren't even there for that!" he argued. With that, she was the one to flinch.

"But we know what it means now." She hoped that was all the convincing he needed. She wasn't sure how much more of his yelling she could take. She may have been itching for a fight, but not with the person she was trying to take care of.

"Seeing and understanding aren't the same thing, Lonnie." When he said this, his voice was surprisingly soft. And she began to wonder if there was something she wasn't seeing when it came to Jay.

"If we don't open ourselves up to seeing, we're not gonna understand anything." She pointed out.

"What if you don't like what you find?"

Lonnie was so focused on getting him to watch the security footage, she didn't even question why he said 'you' instead of 'we'. "I don't think we _will_ like what we find, Jay. But we have to do this. For Carlos." She hated to guilt people into things. She'd been trying to avoid that since news of the attack broke.

"I'm not talking about the case." Jay admitted, locking eyes with a lost Lonnie.

"Then what _are_ you talking about?"

"We've all done a pretty good job of not completely falling apart so far," She knew before he even confirmed it that that wasn't something he thought the group should be proud of. "but that only means we've been putting it off. For the most part, we're coping on our own. We followed your lead, found a challenge. But… you really think we all made the best choices here? You think we haven't done stuff that's gonna come back to bite us? You think we're this perfect group of friends?" He didn't sound like he was mocking her usual optimism, but that's what it felt like.

"No," Lonnie answered. "I think we're just... trying to help. And if we leave now, _that's_ gonna come back to bite us." Somehow, she was sure of that.

"Just roll the tape." Jay submitted, his voice hardly there.

After that, the two of them watched the footage intently. Even Dude's eyes stayed locked on the screen.

When Carlos came into view, he was seen buying a few essentials for his pet. He threw in a small toy on an impulse buy, presumably just to keep the dog happy. Lonnie smiled when she saw Carlos make conversation with the clerk.

Her smile vanished when she heard a small, shuddering breath from beside her. The sound was short, like Jay tried to stifle it. To no avail.

Lonnie went to say something comforting, but was cut off when Dude started barking like crazy at the next customer in line. He didn't stop until the man was offscreen.

In that brief moment, the kids knew the dog had dug up something worth bringing back.

* * *

"It's the same man. It has to be." Mal said, as she approached the hospital with Evie, Ben and Audrey in tow.

"The investigators have that footage now, right?" Her boyfriend asked. They weren't looking at each other, but he could sense that she nodded.

"And they're gonna dig into the employment records at the coffee shop?"

"Yeah." He confirmed.

When they got to the waiting room, they saw Jay and Lonnie standing there.

"You're here already." Evie said. She was glad for that, but it still surprised her.

"I'm always here." Jay said jokingly. It was hardly funny, but it certainly seemed true.

"So you got my text?" Lonnie asked, going by Mal's expression.

Ben nodded, since that question was for him. "Has anyone heard from Doug or Jane?" He asked, seeing that other people were showing up. But not them.

No one said anything, but Ben's question was answered when he saw that Evie and Audrey exchanged worried glances.

* * *

Doug and Jane were looking at a very different kind of tape. They had no intention of crossing it. Jane just wanted to get close enough to see if she could sense something. Whether she did or not, no one ever had to know they were near where they weren't supposed to be.

"This is a _really_ bad idea." Doug whispered. Though he had no idea why. They investigators were scoping out another crime scene, and they'd left that post to find out what new information the kids had gathered.

"Then why'd you let me talk you into it?" Jane asked. She didn't see herself as very persuasive.

"I thought you might be onto something." He said simply. Then he voiced his confusion. "Whose lead are you following?"

"My mom's." She answered. "She said that we would know if… someone had gotten their hands on her wand."

"O...kay." By that, she could tell he still didn't understand.

"She also told me that in magic class we'll le-"

" _Magic class_?" Doug couldn't help but interrupt.

Which made her remember that he hadn't heard about that yet. "It's new. Brand new. Or... old, and just… reinstated?" She wasn't sure how exactly to describe it.

He came up with one simple word. "Nice."

She smiled faintly at the encouragement, then got back to her explanation. "We'll learn about residue."

"Residue?" Doug repeated. He was starting to feel like a parrot. And not the Iago type.

"Magical residue." Jane clarified. "Magic never fully goes away."

With that, he understood. "So if your mom's magic did end up being part of… all this, you'll be able to feel it?"

"I hope so." She answered. That would certainly be helpful.

"Alright," Doug said as she inched closer to the general area. "hurry back." He was only joking, but she knew as well as he that the others would begin to question their whereabouts.

All he needed as proof that Jane sensed something, was the look on her face when she turned back toward him.

She nodded regardless, and told him: "We should've known. Even _I_ tried to steal my mom's magic." Knowing what she did then, it didn't surprise her that someone else had done the same.

"We should get back to the others." Doug didn't know what else to say. In compliance, Jane held out her hand. She saw his face drop for the second time in a matter of seconds. "We're doing _that_ again?"

"It's the quickest way." She reasoned. Then, softer, she said: "Besides, we've been to the hospital a bunch of times." Her tone brightened a bit when she assured him: "I've got a clear picture of it in my head. We'll get there in one shot."

Convinced, Doug took her hand.

In a blink, they were standing right outside of where they wanted to be. Where everyone was waiting for them.

After teleporting successfully, Jane went to let go of Doug's hand.

But he held on for a second, to get her attention. She looked at him, wondering what the holdup was. Doug smiled and told her: "It's good to hear you sound so sure of yourself." He let go then, but she stayed put for a second.

Ready with a reply. "It's good to feel sure of myself."

When they got inside, the rest of the group rushed them, but not to attack. Everyone looked relieved. "Sorry, we got… held up." Doug told them.

The truth of the matter would come out after visiting hours were over.

* * *

"Does he think we left?" Cinderella asked, looking at the tea she hadn't touched. It was getting cold.

"I assume so." Belle answered honestly, trying to silently urge her friend to drink the tea. Cinderella and her husband seemed to be barring themselves off from all comfort, in a similar fashion to Chad.

Neither Belle nor her husband were going to let the Charmings be alone, though. That was what they wanted. Not what they needed.

Down in the dungeon, Chad had dismissed the idea that Adam didn't hate him several times over. When he saw that that wasn't working, he insisted that if the man _didn't_ hate him, he should.

Because it was easier.

Because he didn't exactly have the best track record.

Because shutting people out was for _their_ benefit.

Because isolating himself was something all-too familiar for Adam. In both situations, they didn't have a choice.

"But you _made_ a choice." Adam pointed out when he heard that argument. (He was standing when he said it, having tired of sitting hours ago.) "You chose to help me." The glare he got then told Chad he wondered what good it did. That look didn't shake the man's confidence. He was sure he'd be helped again. At the moment, he had something else to discuss. "What you said to your mother. about her not knowing best… is that just because of what's in your head right now?"

Chad seemed surprised that Adam was so invested in what he had to say. If it wasn't related to the crime, why did it matter? It took him awhile to answer, and when he did, he knew a simple 'yes' wouldn't suffice. "I feel like I'm not hers anymore," He admitted. "but... " He paused to try to get Adam to overlook the break in his voice. It didn't work. "knowing that isn't gonna save me." It frightened Adam to hear him speak this way. Even as he went on. "Waking up here every day is the _best_ defense I got."

Adam's fear was replaced by confusion then. "What do you mean?"

"I can forget," They both knew he had forgotten things. And they both knew he regretted that. "but I can't be fooled." Chad's lips formed a genuine smile as he finished his thought. "The shadows don't scare me."

Mother knows best. Shadows. Adam was sensing a pattern here. He'd have to give those books Chad picked out for him a second look. Maybe everything in Chad's head, even what didn't make sense, was there for a reason.

"What _does_ scare you?" Adam asked. The way he saw it, the boy wanted to help the others figure this out. So long as they didn't figure him out in the process.

"How hard it is to do the right thing."

The look the man gave him then told him not to worry. He was just out of practice. Saying that wouldn't be much help. So instead, Adam asked: "You wanna fix this?"

Chad answered that question with another question. "I broke it, right?"

The more time Adam spent with the prisoner, the less sure he was of that. "Before the bridge," He began, seeing that the boy knew what that meant just by looking at him. "do you remember who was there?" The man realized that was a long shot, and retracted his question. He revised with: "Do you remember _how many_ were there?"

It looked like it hurt to think about. "I can't see their faces." Chad replied. "But I can see their feet."

"That's something."

"It's not solid." He argued. "Don't you want something better?"

"Right now I think a _number_ would be good." The other suspects were still out there somewhere.

"You mean, besides the goblin?" Chad asked. After a nod, he said one more word that proved what Adam feared. This had never been a fair fight. "Four."

The former king made his way out of the dungeon just as the sun was setting. His head hung in disbelief. When he reported back to the others, they worried Cinderella would lose her appetite again. Most of the adults stuck by her side, but Cogsworth went to go set the table. Lumiere blamed that on vulnerability. The other man was just as upset as everyone else, he just didn't want them to see.

So when Lumiere walked over, he pretended to be upset about something else. "We know what happened to that missing apple. What do you suppose happened to our missing napkin rings?"

Lumiere couldn't say for sure, but he knew for a fact that Chad hadn't eaten them in an effort to get out of the dungeon for a little while.

* * *

"First, I think we should review what we learned today." Dr. Porter suggested.

Audrey was up first. "One of the goblins at the coffee shop was fired."

"The others don't really know anything," Ben added. "except that he stopped showing up to work." Which was enough to make the goblin look guilty. Enough to imply that he'd fled.

Doug spoke next. He decided that he'd talk about the lead he knew about all day. "Whoever was… keeping tabs on Carlos probably showed up at school the day of the scavenger hunt. We might not have his name, or even his real handwriting, but we have a clue."

"More than that." Evie replied. It wasn't an argument. It was reminder for him to stop selling himself short. "We have his face on camera. It's quick, but… it'll be enough." With that, she looked at the headmistress' daughter.

Jane had to put her thoughts together before she voiced them. "We have reason to believe some of mother's magic was stolen to be put into that spell." Having an adult in the room made admitting the reason impossible. She needed to be around to keep helping with the case. Seeing the looks her friends sent her, she also knew she needed to tell them the whole truth. For the time being, she finished her thought by saying: "Her magic is powerful and… _dangerous_ in the wrong hands." She turned her head to look at the son of Jafar in that moment.

Jay said: "We have an evil-detecting dog."

Lonnie laughed. She could agree on that. "Dude was the one who pointed that man out to us."

Mal was up next, but she had nothing left to add. So she looked to the adult in the room. "Dr. Porter?"

"The other crime scene was searched today." She recapped. "Chad's phone was found."

"Is that why Carlos was by the Enchanted Lake?" Mal guessed. "To return Chad's phone?" Somehow, that thought made things worse.

"Quite possibly." The doctor replied. "That's why the investigators are checking it for his fingerprints."

 _No good deed goes unpunished_. Maleficent's daughter thought darkly.

"One more thing." the woman told the kids, who were sitting around her living room once again. "The investigators found fragments of something. They have a pretty good idea what, but they wanna be sure before they tell us."

The others nodded understandingly. Though they couldn't help wondering what else the investigators were keeping quiet about.

Ben knew that he was up next to tell a story, even though his wouldn't tie to what he brought in to decorate Carlos' room with. He was about to ask if he should take his turn, when Dr. Porter thought of something else to say.

"I want you all to know I'm proud of the work you did today. You made our jobs easier." The investigators could only cover so much ground at a time. The more the detectives -professional or otherwise -uncovered, the closer the doctor and her team got to finding their answers. "We're very thankful."

"We're just glad to help." Jane assured. Everyone agreed that it was better than letting the adults do all the work. It let the kids rest a little easier, knowing they hadn't just stood back and watched this unfold.

The doctor looked over at the king. "Ben? The floor's yours."

He smiled at the mere mention of his name, since it took her some time to get used to using it. "Before I start, I just wanna say I don't know if this'll clear anything up. I don't wanna make things worse." He was looking in Jay's direction when he said that.

Jay didn't seem to mind. "So it's not a happy memory. They can't all be."

Mal nodded in agreement. Her story had proven that Carlos knew that.

The story Ben had to tell took place at his castle two days before the attack.

 _Mal's voice carried when she asked something of her former partner-in-crime. She knew she didn't have to worry about being quiet, since the group was gathering to study together in Ben's library. (Mal had been the first to arrive, followed closely by Jay, so it felt a little bit like old times.) "How come Carlos never wants to hang out in your dorm anymore?"_

 _Jay scoffed. "Why don't you ask him?" To Ben's ears, he sounded more confused than angry. Like that was the best answer he could give._

" _I already tried," Mal insisted. "He… deflected."_

" _Yeah." Even though the others knew there was no need to mind their volume, Jay's voice was low. Ben was surprised he heard the rest of the response. "Well, he's always been good at that."_

 _Ben had seen some proof of that himself. Carlos didn't alway completely avoid topics that were tough for him to discuss. In some cases, he simply made them sound like less than what they were. He put things mildly to spare other people's feelings. At the risk of hurting his own._

 _The others started filing in then. First Audrey, Jane and Lonnie. Then Evie, Doug and Carlos._

" _You can get lost in here." These words were Evie's initial reaction._

 _Ben wasn't sure if she meant lost among the shelves or lost in reading. He would've asked, had it not been for the face Jay made in that moment. Like he just noticed where he was standing. Too caught up in conversation beforehand to care._

 _Ben looked to Carlos, to gauge his reaction. The younger boy seemed too stunned to speak, and that would've had the king worried if it weren't for the excitement in his wide eyes, which were focused on the science and technology section._

 _A second later, those eyes were on him. "Why couldn't I just live here?" Carlos meant that as a joke, but it didn't seem like one. And if it struck a nerve with Ben, he could only imagine what it did to Jay._

Aside from the doctor, everyone in the room had lived through that moment. But nobody else took what Jay took from it. "Maybe this wouldn't've happened if he lived with you."

"Jay, don't do that." Evie told him. It was obvious she felt for him, but he didn't look receptive of her sympathy.

Surprisingly, Ben wasn't so sympathetic. In fact, Jay's comment angered him. "You wouldn't let other people blame this on me. So don't blame it on yourself."

"Yes, your majesty." Jay didn't mean this as an insult. Or a sign that he was intimidated. He was impressed.

Dr. Porter wasn't looking to place blame, either. She was looking at this logically. "Did Carlos ever leave school to put distance between you two?"

"I don't think so." Jay admitted.

"Then how could you think this was your fault?" He didn't answer. That was a story for another day. To break the silence Jay had only filled in with a shrug, Dr. Porter asked: "Jane, do you have a story for us?"

She nodded. "It's not about what I brought, but... Carlos did mention something. Something I should've asked him about. I didn't but, I guess it stayed with me anyway."

She could still hear Carlos' voice in her head: " _I don't think Chad's okay."_ She'd wanted to know why. She just hadn't found the time to ask.

"When was this?"

"The day before." She told the doctor.

"After the scavenger hunt?" Audrey asked. She was answered by a nod.

"The VKs first swimming lesson." Jane clarified.

"When he jumped into the deep end." Jay recalled.

"Crazy kid…" Mal added.

"That's what I said." Audrey told her. To Jane, that was the perfect place to start her story.

" _Hey, Crazy. I mean Charisma." It was obvious to Jane that Audrey had gotten her nickname for Carlos wrong on purpose. She couldn't blame her. The group was still shaken up over him jumping into the deep end. Even as they dried off. "I have something for you."_

 _Carlos didn't seem curious to find out what the gift was. He hadn't been expecting anything, so surprise outweighed his excitement. Jane felt the others' eyes on her, since she stood between the two scavenger hunt partners. Audrey held up a bag like the kind Lonnie carried her money in. It didn't do much to conceal the shape of what was inside. Jane knew what was in there before she even saw the bag. Since she helped pick the gift out._

" _Thanks." Carlos told Audrey._

 _She seemed slightly annoyed by this. "You didn't even open it yet."_

 _Jay chuckled. "Not much of a mystery." Others nodded or murmured in agreement, as Carlos pulled his new sunglasses from the bag._

" _Thanks. Again." Carlos said with a smile, putting the sunglasses on._

 _Audrey was about to tell him 'thank you' right back, but was interrupted by the others' reactions._

 _Between cheers and claps, Mal said: "Nice." Jane was convinced she heard a wolf whistle thrown in there somewhere._

 _Carlos' face reddened from the warmth he felt, being so well received. He momentarily matched the color of the lenses he was looking through._

" _So why'd you get me these?" He asked as he found a chair to lounge on._

 _Before Audrey could answer, Evie felt the need to interrupt. "We don't always need a reason." Jane was glad to hear that. It was good to hear that even the VKs knew it was important to show friends they were appreciated for who they are, and not just what they've done. Jane knew as well as Audrey that this gift happened to show both those things._

" _But the reason is you're the best scavenger hunt partner I could've ever asked for." Audrey informed._

 _Carlos thought she had to be joking. "Oh yeah, I did a great job helping you lose."_

 _Jane interjected then. (And since Audrey had a sense about these things, she didn't get interrupted that time.) "Second place is nothing to be ashamed of." She knew that was hard for someone who came from a place where the only way to win was to make sure everyone else lost. People on the Isle didn't think highly of anyone who didn't come first._

 _Even with the other AKs backing her up, she wasn't sure she was making a convincing argument. That didn't mean she would drop it any time soon._

 _Neither would Audrey. "We had a lot more fun than the actual winners." After she said this, she sent Jane a sympathetic look._

 _Jane didn't think that was necessary. She didn't see it that way. "It wasn't terrible." She insisted. "And during the second half of the game, Chad was actually really helpful. I don't think I could've won without him." She hardly noticed she came to his defense until after she got through her statement._

Whatever Carlos had mentioned to Jane, her detective partner was sure of one thing. "It had to be about Chad."

"Carlos said he wasn't okay." Jane confirmed.

"Not okay enough to pick a fight with him?" Mal asked.

"Chad _has_ helped." Doug said defensively, though he didn't end on a strong note. "Somewhat."

"Yeah," Mal wasn't disputing that. "he's helped to repair damage _he_ caused."

"We don't know that for sure." With that, Doug put himself in the same boat as Ben. Jane had known that for awhile, but it was news to the others.

Jay and Lonnie exchanged glances. She guessed this was what he meant by the group falling apart. She hoped their differing opinions wouldn't drive wedges between them.

The group wasn't about to let that happen. Especially not since they only had time left for one more story before Dr. Porter went back to work. The rest would have to wait. The dinner scheduled for the next night would take up this time.

"None of us seem to have a neutral opinion on this." Dr. Porter told the kids. "It might help if we did, but I think you've seen that it's hard even for me to keep my emotions out of my work." The more she heard about Carlos, the closer she felt to him.

Silence fell for a moment, and then Audrey asked. "Should I take my turn now?"

"Yes, Audrey, please do." Dr. Porter told her.

"The last time I saw Carlos… as Carlos was before the game." Audrey explained to the others. Meaning the game they had to postpone.

Hearing that, Jane's wide eyes glazed over in realization. She could picture exactly where the two had stood.

 _Audrey didn't expect to see anyone arrive on the tourney field as early as she did. She also didn't expect that anyone would leave it before practice even started. Carlos was there, standing smack dab in the middle of the kill zone. But not for long._

" _Hi." She greeted, her surprise apparent. She hadn't planned on being unfashionably early, and wondered why he would._

 _As it turns out, that wasn't his plan, either. "Hi and bye." He replied, letting out a light laugh so she'd know he wasn't being mean to her._

" _Where are you going?" Audrey didn't see how it made sense for him to leave, even if he could be back in time for practice._

" _To a follow up interview at the museum. Coach excused me from practice." He explained._

" _Oh, well, lucky you." Audrey answered, feigning jealousy. He knew how much she loved to cheer. Her tone changed when she noticed what he was wearing. "Wait, if you're excused from practice, why are you dressed for it? And not your follow up interview?"_

"' _Cause I didn't know this was gonna happen today." He said brightly, clearly glad he got the opportunity. Even though it would cut into tourney time._

 _She nodded, understanding. "You'll be fine." Those words were weightless when she first spoke them. At that point, she had no reason to worry about him. Playing the words back in her mind, they seemed mocking._

" _Thanks." His words were rushed then, and she knew he had to get going. "See you at the game, Audrey." He smiled at her, then turned to walk off the field._

 _If she had known he was wrong about that, she wouldn't have settled for speaking to his back. "See ya."_

Audrey had watched for awhile as he walked away, so she had a clear picture in her mind of what her focal point had been: his jersey number.

"He was so close to getting something he really wanted," She'd heard from Mal that he got the job. "and he didn't even know it. _I_ knew it. But I didn't know enough. That's the worst part for me." Audrey admitted. "I could've prevented this. I could've been my annoying self, told him not to go. If they really wanted him, they would've waited." Even as she spoke, Audrey knew that postponing the interview would likely just postpone the attack. As much as she wished she could've stopped this, it was out of her hands.

"They were watching him," Mal argued. "for awhile." She pointed to the adult in the room. "And according to Dr. Porter, 'awhile' is several weeks." They hadn't seen the signs that would've told them to take preventative measures. So they could only react.

* * *

Dr. Porter thumbed through old tabloids she was thinking about throwing out. Her team hovered over Carlos, checking his vital signs. He was in his best shape so far, but those waves had yet to be seen in the daytime.

"Why do you read that trash?" One of her team members asked. "There's never anything good in there, anyway."

She shrugged. She used to read them just to kill time. "I don't know if I can part with them now. They're full of the kids' memories."

The others had to laugh. She said 'the kids' as if she was a parent. "Fabricated memories." Another pointed out.

Sometimes they were. "Possibly."

"Most likely." Came the argument.

It was the doctor's turn to laugh then. "Not always." She insisted, turning one of the pages in the others' direction. "Look, it's Mal's first art show." That had happened weeks before the attack.

The team could see the girl standing there in a shaky shot, Evie at her side.

"Where are the boys?"

Before she could say, one of the others cut in with a guess. "Maybe they just didn't wanna go. Wouldn't surprise me. Especially not concerning-"

The talking stopped when Dr. Porter put up her hand. The others watched as she eyed the page oddly, catching sight of someone slightly more in focus. "They were at tourney practice." She told them, sounding distant. She had her own question to pose, and brought the page closer to do so. "Does anyone in this crowd shot look familiar to any of you?"

By that time, they had all seen the security footage the investigators had combed through and enhanced. The picture in the magazine may not have been very clear, but the others knew exactly who she was referring to.

"Third time's the charm?" A team member asked. Whoever this mystery man was, his image had been burned into their brains.

Dr. Porter turned to her patient. "We're getting closer."

* * *

 _Carlos didn't care where the time went. He could never keep track of it now, anyway. He let the minutes turn to hours as he sat there on the floor of Jafar's Junk Shop with Jay. The two talked about nothing at all. Whatever surprise Cruella had in store for Carlos, it could wait._

 _The younger boy only thought about heading home once Jafar walked through the door. An instinct that felt like an old fear took over, and Carlos stiffened._

" _I've been thinking, boys." The man began. Carlos wasn't sure he wanted to hear the end of that. 'Jafar' and 'thinking' sounded like a lethal combination. "If Carlos is going to be spending so much time here, I might as well hire him."_

 _It took awhile for Carlos to recognize that that wasn't a creatively crafted complaint, but a job offer._

" _Thank you," Carlos said, sensing the strange look he got from Jay. "but… that's not the kind of job I dream about."_

 _Jafar let out an amused laugh that would've been startling if it wasn't so odd. "This one has dreams." He told Jay. As if Carlos hadn't just made that obvious._

" _Yeah," the older boy answered. "I should hold onto him."_

 _Hearing that, Carlos thought his jaw would unhinge and hit the floor. He wondered if the words were said to simply get a reaction._

 _Jafar's reaction was to agree. "A rare gem if I ever saw one." The man moved his gaze to set on Carlos, and he said: "but you could do better." This prompted Jay to roll his eyes._

 _It prompted Carlos to whisper: "What's happening here?"_

 _For Jay, the answer was simple. "My dad's being a pain in the-" The last word was muffled when Carlos clamped his hand over Jay's mouth._

 _He didn't want the older boy to get in trouble. Even if he knew that was a weird thing not to want._

 _The man didn't even seem to hear, focused on taking inventory. He didn't even notice when Carlos exclaimed "Ew!" Since Jay licked the younger boy's hand._

 _That, at least, seemed normal. Carlos didn't move his hand, though. Even when Jay bit him._

" _That doesn't hurt." The younger boy informed. "You're just getting your saliva all over me."_

 _A muffled chuckle left Jay's covered lips, and Carlos finally let his hand drop._

" _That's funny?" He asked, not seeing how._

 _Jay crossed the floor again for the second time in Carlos-didn't-know-how-long. He sat down next to him, and brushed against the hand that had covered his mouth moments before with his fingertips. The older boy lowered his voice and told Carlos: "If I wanted to get my saliva all over you, I'd take a different approach."_

 _Carlos' aching jaw couldn't handle much more of this talk. (Especially not with Jafar in the room. ) "I gotta go." He said, standing up so fast that he felt dizzy._

 _Or maybe the dizziness was Jay's fault._

" _Why?" The older boy questioned. Though his tone made it obvious he thought he said something wrong._

" _I've overstayed my welcome."_

 _Jafar's selective hearing kicked in then, and he dismissed that with a scoff. "You're always welcome!" He called out to Carlos, who bolted toward the door. "But if you're leaving… take him with you!"_

" _You heard 'em." Jay said, though Carlos soon learned that wasn't why he followed. When they were outside, the older boy asked: "Did I scare you?"_

" _No," Carlos insisted. "I scared myself."_

" _Well… you don't have to be afraid of your own feelings."_

" _I know," He replied. But knowing it and living it were two different things. "but I woke up a different person." Carlos knew the personality change hadn't happened overnight, but it felt like it did._

 _Jay shrugged. "Doesn't bother me."_

 _He could see that. "Yeah, but… why does it bother everybody else?" The others had pointed out all this odd behavior Carlos exhibited. Behavior that felt natural to him. And Jay wasn't an exception to that, but he seemed to find the new natural behavior attractive._

" _Who cares? You grew on me. Give 'em time." Those words calmed Carlos' nerves. "Want me to walk you home?"_

" _I know the way." Carlos joked. When Jay swallowed a sigh, he said: "Okay."_

 _The two held hands the whole way, and Carlos traced a pattern on the back of Jay's hand. Because they were in motion, Jay didn't have any guesses on what the pattern was until they stopped. "What is that, an infinity sign?"_

" _It's an 8." Carlos corrected, though technically it was both._

" _Why an 8?"_

 _It took being asked for Carlos to realize he didn't have an answer. He just felt fond of the number. "Maybe it's lucky." He said as they reached the door of the de Vil mansion._

 _The two let go then, but Jay's fingers lingered a little. Like he was waiting for something._

 _Carlos knew what that something was. And as much as he wanted what he never had -as he stood there staring up at Jay- he realized he would rather have something he felt he'd been deprived over for awhile._

 _So he wrapped his arms around the older boy. Jay seemed surprised by the hug. He had to steady himself before he hugged back. Carlos practically collapsed into him._

 _On top of that, the younger boy was crying. He couldn't even explain to himself why._

* * *

Monday morning brought on a rude awakening for two residents of the Isle of the Lost.

The Evil Queen woke first. She was on the floor of one the abandoned houses Jafar had marked off his map.

It was cold, which was normal for the Isle. One of her covers was the torn garment she took from the shelf in Jafar's Junk Shop. Over in Auradon, that kind of thing would be used as evidence. But she and Jafar were on the hunt for the only evidence they needed: the suspects themselves.

She started folding the garment, which she supposed used to be a jacket before it was ruined. It seemed strange to try and make the thing look neat a pretty since it had been torn, but she couldn't stop herself.

Once that was done, she walked around the place. There wasn't a lot of room to stretch, especially not with Jafar still on the floor.

In the morning light, she noticed something that went overlooked in the dark. A small shred of fabric, closed in the door of what she assumed was an empty cabinet. She went to go investigate when she noticed that the color was a perfect match for what she had just finished folding.

Grimhilde gripped the loose knob of the cabinet and pulled. It opened, but the knob ended up in the palm of her hand and the piece of fabric fell on the floor.

As it turns out, the cabinet contained a few dusty jars of honey. Some were broken, spilling stickiness onto the empty bottom shelf. Other jars had honey that had gone solid.

Only one jar remained in decent condition. She took that and picked up the piece of fabric to go show Jafar.

The word she used as she shook him awake probably wasn't the best choice. "Honey!"

"Are you talking to me?" He asked as he sat up.

"Is there anybody else here?" She asked, shoving the jar in his face. "Look!"

"Oh," He felt foolish now that he understood what she meant. "put it with rest of provisions."

She failed to see why he didn't share in her excitement. "Fine, but there's something else."

"Something else I can eat?" He asked hopefully.

"No. Proof that they were here."

That was exciting news for him. "Show me." She opened her hand. "The knob?"

"I'll forgive your stupidity because you just woke up." She told him. Then, she clarified: "The fabric." He took it from her and inspected it. "See, it matches."

Jafar nodded. He flipped it over and saw something worth noting. A small letter was stitched on the underside. At first, he took it for a 'C'. Had it not been for the color. Dark blue. "EQ, I think I figured out why you love that thing so much."

"Why?" She asked, startled by the shock in his voice.

He let her see for herself as he said: "It's one of your daughter's designs..."

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! Feel free to let me know about any questions, theories or corrections you may have. As well as anything you want me to elaborate on.**

 **As always, I'll update ASAP! =]**


	9. Counterattacks and Collaborations

**As always my lovely readers, I apologize for the long wait. Hopefully nearly thirty pages worth of clue-overload makes up for that. (So feel free to take your time with reading.) With tons of Isle scenes, one flashback and a limbo scene at the end that might be confusing. (Also, during the award ceremony scenes, Fairy Godmother just trails off when announcing characters whose last names we don't know. So sorry for that reads awkward.)**

 **We're two chapters away from one of the sharpest turns in the story, so a lot will be revealed/cleared up soon.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to pinksakura271, pinkcrazyness, kjay15, kendranb2, biankies, Gokartgirl, IWantColoredRain, Lopmon-013, Paradise-san786, guest, ChoiAnnin and TokioJapon. Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

"You look like you actually got a good night's sleep." Adam observed as he passed a day's worth of food through the gap under the bars of Chad's cell.

"I guess we'll see." The boy answered, though he was looking at the thermal bag rather than the man talking to him. "What's all this?" He asked when he looked up.

"Do you remember what today is?"

Chad chuckled. Though the question was less humorous and more ironic, considering his reply. "If I can't remember what happened on the worst day of my life, what makes you think I _care_ what today is besides Monday?" He dropped the attitude when he realized he wasn't even sure of that. "It is Monday, right?"

"Yeah," Chad knew more than he thought he did. Especially when it came to helping with the investigation. Which is why Adam had something else for him. Once he got through with his explanation. "tonight's the dinner for academic achievement."

The reminder reduced Chad's tone to a whisper. "We were supposed to go to that."

It was the first time in Adam's recollection that Chad had referred to himself and Carlos as a unit. That was enough to make the former king lose his train of thought for a moment. "Uh, well, those are samples." He told Chad. (If he took whole portions, the kitchen staff would notice.)

Chad didn't sound too appreciative of the treats. "You're rewarding me?"

With that, Adam knew the prisoner felt he didn't deserve that. That was a response the man expected. "You have done some good."

"Not enough." Despite what Chad thought, there were no other menu options.

Instead of arguing, Adam resorted to once again changing the subject. "I reread those books you gave me."

Chad didn't see the point. "But I thought you said the only thing that mattered was that villains use good things in bad ways." He knew he wasn't quoting Adam, but that was the simple way to put it.

"I said that was the most important part." The main clarified. "But maybe I'm wrong about that. Just look at all these notes." He passed a leather-bound book that closed with a clasp through the bars.

Chad opened the book and thumbed through it. Adam had filled up half the book. "That would take me all day."

That's what the man was hoping. "I figured it would keep you occupied. I'm helping set up for later. I won't be around today, but I can come back after the din-"

"No, that's okay." Even though it was an interruption, that was the most polite refusal he'd heard from Chad. The boy took the pen that was tucked inside the book and held it up. to signify that if he had anything to tell Adam, he'd write it down. "I'll survive."

"Chad, you scare me when you say things like that."

"Sorry." That wasn't his intention. "This'll be good for me. Hours alone with my thoughts. Without interruption. A lot could come into focus. Maybe then I'll stop feeling useless." Once again, the boy said more than he meant to.

"Chad…"

He wasn't going back on what he said, but he wouldn't let that keep Adam from his responsibilities. He made sure to keep his focus directly in front of him when he spoke next. He sounded very serious, but also very hopeful. "I promise, I'm not going anywhere. This is the best place for me." Chad's eyebrows raised when he finished his thought. "Plus, it's not like anyone's comin' to bust me out." He didn't find his own joke funny. But Adam did. And the former king's laughter was catching. "Go do what ya gotta do. And I'll do what I gotta do." Chad promised, twisting the top of the pen for proof. "I do wanna fix this." The prisoner only paused for a breath before he said: "I need to."

* * *

There was no question about what channel to tune into for coverage about this dinner, since the Isle only had two. And even though it was hours away, Cruella flipped to the _Auradon News Network_ simply so that she would have some background noise other than the hum of Maleficent's fridge.

Normally, she wouldn't be the only one in front of the TV. But the closest thing she had to friends weren't around. So instead, she had over-chipper Auradonian news anchors for company.

Little did she -or they- know, there was something a lot more newsworthy than this going on down by the docks.

* * *

"Are those Auradonian knights?" Freddie asked her companion while the two of them hid behind crates that had been taken off the barges.

"Looks like it." Diego replied, his voice just as low as hers.

"Who are they talking to?" She asked, though she was more concerned about why they were there in the first place.

"Whoever she is, she's been looking after my cousin's cat."

"Maybe we should recruit her then." Freddie suggested. "She's gotta care about Carlos if she's cat-sitting for 'em."

It took Diego a few seconds to realize Freddie was asking for his opinion. She'd done that before, but it took some getting used to. "Sure. You're the leader."

The look she gave him then told him she didn't agree. "How can there be a leader in a partnership?"

"If we recruit her, this partnership would become a group. Groups have leaders."

She thought he had a valid point. "In that case, as group leader, I suggest we go over there." Freddie went to stand up, but Diego's hands reached out to cup her shoulders and keep her down.

He looked more scared of his own strength than the possibility that he didn't have the speed to stop her. The look in his bulging eyes gave that way. "And as your second-in-command, I suggest we stay right here." This whisper was sharp.

Freddie was done whispering. "What? Are you afraid they're gonna arrest you for being in prison?"

Diego was glad the knights were too focused on who they were talking to to overhear. "No. But the first thing they're gonna ask is why we're not getting ready for school, either. And then we're gonna have to tell that no one has gone to school in weeks. And when they ask why, you can't just tell them 'cause that's what villain kids do."

That wasn't Freddie's plan. "I'll tell them my theory."

"We need evidence to back it up." He phrased himself that way because he firmly believed in that theory. He just wanted the knights to believe in it, too.

Freddie followed that logic. "Alright."

* * *

As rare as this was, the kids on the Isle had woken up before the kids in Auradon. The latter group had to rush their morning routines to ensure that they made it to class on time.

Audrey and Evie were the last ones out their dorm room doors.

Sleepy Beauty's daughter saw something hanging on the doorknob. A note from Jane was taped right above that.

She smiled when she saw that, despite feeling bad. She had the chance to talk to her roommate the night before, she just chose not to. At least, not about what was weighing heavy on her heart.

Audrey hushed her thoughts and read the note to herself. _We're going to this dinner in style tonight. Style by Evie._

Though she had mere minutes to make it to class, Audrey couldn't resist sneaking a peek at the dress Evie designed for her. She took the garment bag off the doorknob and placed it on top of her bed. (Much like what Jane had done with the one left for her.)

Audrey unzipped the bag just a tad before she noticed that the usual blue to pink ratio had switched. If it weren't for the size, she would've thought she was looking at a dress meant for Jane.

That thought led her to look at Jane's dress for a color comparison. (And since that's all she was checking, she never actually saw either dress in full.) Jane's dress seemed to be dusty rose with robin's egg blue accents.

When Audrey zipped the other garment bag up again, the sound was flat. Like her tone when she spoke to herself. "Looks like my wingman's not acting alone."

* * *

"Ya know, sooner or later, these crates are gonna be moved." Since only Beelzebub was perched atop the ones Freddie and Diego were hiding behind, it looked like she was giving them that warning.

The leader had to stifle her laughter as she asked her second-in-command: "Did your cousin's cat just talk to us?"

He wasn't afraid to laugh out loud, especially now that the Auradonian knights had moved on from the docks. He stood up to see the cat's caretaker.

Niraya was standing by the side of the crate.

Freddie stood as well. "I think we should talk."

The younger girl chuckled. "I didn't think you were hanging around the docks because you liked the atmosphere."

With that, the others knew she was at least willing to have a conversation with them.

Diego had a question, but apparently didn't want to ask without permission. This was odd for him -as it was for everyone on the Isle- but so was going along with Freddie's idea. "I wanna ask something."

"So ask." Freddie told him. "I don't control your mouth."

He was glad she was giving him the chance to speak, but didn't say so. "If I controlled _your_ mouth, you wouldn't sound like you hate talking to me." She was being nice to him. He couldn't deny that, especially not after she saved him. But it took a lot of effort. Being nice seemed like a chore for the both of them.

"Sorry," Freddie told him flatly. "old habits die hard."

He laughed sarcastically, and went to respond. But he was interrupted.

"Alright, is this conversation gonna happen, or are Beelzebub and I just gonna stand here and watch you two argue?"

That question ended the argument, and Diego asked what he'd meant to before. "What were those knights grilling you about?"

"Nothing. I gave them a tip."

That prompted Freddie to ask: "About what?"

"Who they _should_ be grilling."

"And who's that?" Freddie asked.

"Jafar and the Evil Queen." A question of 'why' was inevitable, so Niraya eliminated the need to ask it. "They're hunting down the Auradonians who did this. Or at least, the ones who did this and are hiding out here."

The two teens stared. First at her, then at each other, then back again. They almost didn't believe what she told them. And probably wouldn't care, if not for the scheme Freddie was hatching. "They wanna help, too?" Diego asked, dumbfounded.

"Help themselves is more like it. They're not doing it for the right reasons." She sounded disappointed in those two, but not the two she stood in front of. To them, she sounded curious. Which is what they were hoping for. "What are you guys up to?"

In answer, Freddie said: "There's no way Chad Charming is the mastermind behind what happened."

"Course not." Came the reply. "And you wanna figure out who is?"

"She already has an idea about that." Diego clarified. He could tell this intrigued the girl, but didn't think that was enough to get her on their side. He thought explaining that idea was the best way to do that.

Freddie had a different approach. She placed a hand on her second-in-command's shoulder, making him stiffen in surprise. "So, ya know who this is?"

"It's not hard to spot a de Vil."

With narrowed eyes, Diego asked: "Was that a pun?"

"My only skill besides taking care of cats. And apple carving." The answer was more of a joke, but it wasn't as if people on the Isle were quick to compliment each other on their talents.

"Anyway," Freddie went on, a little annoyed by the tangent. "you know who I am?"

"Headmaster's daughter." Niraya said this as if it bored her, but really she was bored by the title. Because that's all she knew Freddie by.

"So our reputations proceed us." The older girl said. That worked in their favor. Or so she thought.

"I don't care about that." Niraya replied, but what caught them off guard the most was that she smiled.

"But you seem to care about my cousin's cat."

In response to this, Niraya eyed Diego oddly. "What, you want her?" She scooped the cat up in her arms and went on: "'Cause I'm not sold on that." It didn't look like she'd be making offers any time soon.

"No, we want you." Diego clarified. Which only earned him more odd looks. From both girls. "Crap, that came out wrong."

"You'll have to excuse him, he hasn't talked to anybody but me in days." Freddie explained, after rolling her eyes. "We want you to help us."

"Chase this lead of yours?" Niraya asked.

"It's a theory." Freddie corrected. "We're just testing it."

With a nod, Niraya agreed. They wondered why she didn't ask for more details before she said: "That I'm sold on." These were people who cared, she could tell. That was all she needed to know.

* * *

Audrey and Jane's dress designer was not disappointed to have a new class to fill the empty slot left by Remedial Goodness 101. In fact, she was so excited that she reported the news to Doug in Spanish when she met up with him at their usual lunch table. "¡ _Fui aceptada en la clase de mágica!_ "

She presented the proof to him in the form of the letter that had been left in her locker. The letter was in her hands, which were draped around his neck. He read the letter over quickly, then turned to look at her and offer his congratulations. "... ¡ _Felicitaciones_!"

Under laughs, she answered: " _Gracias."_ Then she took her seat.

"I should be thanking you." He told her. Before she could ask why, the other members of the group backed him up on that as they got to the table.

"We all should." Jay agreed, as he and the others sat down.

Evie didn't see why. "What for?"

"Are you kidding?" Mal scoffed. "I don't even know where you found the time to design outfits for all of us."

"Well, I had a pretty big head start." Two weeks worth. "It's not like this is my challenge." Everyone's challenges were thought up after Carlos was admitted into the hospital.

"But it could be." Lonnie pointed out.

"You have a real talent for this." Doug added. "And you love creating for other people."

That was true, but it didn't have Evie convinced. Not with what she argued next. "Every other challenge I've heard about involves helping people." Like Doug and Carlos' invention would.

"This is Auradon," Ben began, though she needed no reminder. "people need clothes."

Lonnie laughed at the implications of that. She laughed more when Jay countered it.

"Well, not all the time." Others joined in the laughter then.

When the laughter subsided, Jane asked Evie: "Will you consider it?"

"If it means that much to you guys." The designer decided. She had no idea that her designs were already helping people. And not just in the sense of giving them something to wear.

* * *

"I know you. You're Lucifer's baby."

Beelzebub's caretaker seemed slightly offended by this. "She has a name, you know." Niraya told the boy the cat was encircling.

"Relax." Freddie told the younger girl. She could understand why he would refer to Beelzebub the way he did. "That cat probably treats him better than anybody else in his family." Otherwise, he might be home instead of wandering around in an alleyway.

She wasn't sure she could call it a moment of weakness when Anthony Tremaine answered in a low voice: "Pretty much."

"That sucks." Diego thought aloud. The way he saw it, he lucked out in the family department. At least, when it came to Carlos. Which is why he was still fighting for him. Even it he wasn't fighting the way he had been before Freddie came to his rescue.

"It is what it is." Anthony argued, as if it didn't bother him. The others knew it did, even though they couldn't see the look on his face when he bent down to pet Beelzebub. The cat didn't flinch, but she mewed as if whining. Like she felt his pain.

"It doesn't have to be that." Niraya replied.

In response, Anthony looked at her like she was too hopeful for this island. "They're not gonna change."

"We're not asking _them_ to change." Freddie clarified.

"What?" He sounded lost, but then he caught on. "Me?" He asked that like the possibility of him changing for the better was slim to none. But he'd thought that was true for the two teenagers standing in front of him.

"We're trying." Diego said, in an effort to make him hear them out.

Anthony wondered why they bothered. He wagered a guess. "For Carlos?"

Diego nodded, since that was his reason.

Freddie had a different reason. "Not just for him. And not just for us."

Anthony still struggled to follow. "Who else would benefit from me trying to change?"

Knowing what Freddie had in mind, Niraya had the perfect answer. "Your step-cousin."

" _Who_ is this girl?" Anthony asked, unable to hold that question back any longer.

"She's something, isn't she?" Freddie asked with an impressed smile.

"She's something else."

Niraya took no offense. "That's the point, isn't it?" Here, being good was the worst thing they could do. "My name's Niraya. I'm the one that knows everyone, but no one knows me." That had become apparent in the time since the attack in Auradon. "That's basically why I agreed to be part of Freddie's master plan."

Before Anthony could ask what that plan was, Freddie cut in. "It's just a hunch." She turned to the other girl to finish her thought. "Don't oversell it."

Diego understood why Niraya saw this idea as more than what it was. He told the other boy: "The more support we have, the better this is gonna be for us."

"You in?" Niraya asked.

"I don't even know what I'm signing up for."

"Something better than what you got now." Freddie could promise him that much.

"And what if it ends up worse?"

Niraya chuckled, but not because she found the thought of that funny. "You gotta take it on faith that it won't, Lord Tremaine." If it wasn't for her teasing tone, he might've smiled.

"You've got two kids counting on you." Freddie said, crossing her arms. "Help us even out the numbers."

"What numbers?"

"The people we're up against." Diego told Anthony.

Before he could ask exactly who they thought they were up against, Niraya added: "We're aiming for lucky number seven."

"Whatever this is, it's all just a numbers game?" Anthony asked.

"No," Freddie said. "we have to be smarter. There can't just be more of us."

"They've already slipped up," Diego added. "so we have a little bit of an advantage." He looked to the youngest member of the group to see if she had anything left to say. Her statements had a lot of stick because they weren't typical of Isle kids.

What she said next rang true. "Plus, they have no idea what we're up to. Not that they'd care."

"They'll care if I'm right." Freddie could bet that. "They'll care if we get the upper hand."

The upper hand was something Isle kids never had. For the first time throughout this whole conversation, Anthony's voice actually sounded pleasant. He looked at Freddie and asked: "You really think this idea of yours has a chance?"

"I wouldn't have bothered to find you otherwise." She didn't do that just so he could help them out, and she let him know that. "You need us, too."

Swallowing a sigh, Anthony agreed. "Fine." On one condition. "Can I hold the cat?"

* * *

Many Auradon Prep students spent their lunch break discussing what challenges they would take on, since the projects were expected to be in full swing by the following day. One student in particular wasn't sure if the project they came up with was even in the realm of possibility.

"Coach?"

Coach Jenkins had just exited his office only to hear the voice of someone he never saw anywhere near the athletics area before. His surprise could be heard in his tone when he answered. "Anxelin. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yeah." The blonde replied, running her hand through her hair nervously. She still hadn't gotten used to the length of it, and always expected there was more to fidget with. "I figured out what I want my challenge to be, ya know…" She trailed off when she saw him nod. The adults were well aware of the projects the kids were coming up with. "Okay," she laughed nervously, glad she didn't have to explain that more. Especially since she figured she would have to explain herself once she told him what her challenge was. "I know the season's already underway, but I was wondering if I could try out for the tourney team."

Out of all the things he thought she might want to ask for his help with, this was not one of them. It felt strange to think that way, since that was his job after all. It wasn't as if no girl had shown an interest in tourney before. "Uh, sure. Why don't you join us at our next practice?"

"Wow." She didn't expect that getting a chance would go so easy. "Thanks, Coach."

He noticed that she said that is if he was _her_ coach, not just the coach. She looked about ready to leave, but he had one more question. "Can I ask what brought this on?"

"I always loved the game. I never thought about trying out before because there are no girls on the tourney team and no girls touney team. So then I thought maybe even the girls that play tourney don't think that they could do that for school. And I only wanna try now 'cause the whole point of these projects is to do something you never thought you could do. I guess I get that from my mom. She can do a million and one things. Plus, I heard you say there's a spot open and I didn't think you meant Carlos' since he gets to come back after this."

"That's right." The coach agreed. "It would be interesting if he has a new teammate when he does."

She smiled, grateful for the opportunity, and then went on her way.

* * *

Mal and Evie expected to show up a full magic class. Instead, they saw Jane sitting there alone, with her mother standing at the front of the room. "We're not the only ones in this class, are we?" Evie asked.

"For today." The teacher told her. It was interesting how quickly her tone could switch from scholarly to motherly. "Jane said she had something to tell us."

On cue, the girl turned to face the other students. Because of this, her mother rounded the table to join them on the other side. "The reason I know my mom's magic was used in the spell cast on Carlos… is because I went to the Enchanted Lake." No one spoke, but they all wore similar expressions. Somewhere between surprise and shock. Jane was just glad Fairy Godmother's eyes hadn't met hers with disapproval. "Close enough, anyway. I could feel it."

Mal wished she could've been there, too. Not that she would've been able to sense Fairy Godmother's magic. She couldn't, she wasn't related to her. Maleficent's daughter missed the spot she once shared with Ben. She missed what is was before it was ruined.

That was a strange thought. With the crumbled columns, she had never known the date spot by the lake to be anything _but_ ruins. Even so, they were always beautiful to her. Until she found out what happened to Carlos there.

"Any guesses on what they used her magic for?" Mal asked Jane, trying to get her mind off the spot.

Jane didn't have a guess to give. That, along with clearing her conscience, was why she brought it up.

Evie spoke next. "Doug mentioned something last week, about how when you build on something, you have to get familiar with what's been done before."

"You think that's what Carlos' attackers did?" Mal asked.

To clarify further, Fairy Godmother added: "Used my magic to give their spell a boost."

Evie nodded. "It had to be a famous enough spell that they knew what they were looking for. Maybe that's why no pages are missing from any of the spellbooks you sent over to the Golden Flower."

Fairy Godmother didn't see Evie's hypothesis as such a stretch. "The man on the security tapes was watching Carlos for weeks." For awhile, he went on undetected. "He has a good eye. Maybe good enough where he didn't have to _steal_ something to have it."

This new information was giving Mal a headache. "I don't get it, though." She looked toward her teacher as she finished her thought. "I wouldn't call any your spells persuasive. At least not the ones I know about."

"I wouldn't either." Fairy Godmother agreed. Her voice lowered as she went on. Each answer the group got brought on more questions. "As Jane discovered, there's more to it than that."

Jane swallowed a sigh, with one thing to add before she turned back around in her chair. "I guess the investigators are gonna have to dust for more fingerprints."

* * *

It turns out the torn garment Grimhilde took to have as a cover would be used as evidence after all. She watched from a distance as Jafar placed the folded jacket into a plastic bag, along with the piece of fabric she found. The Auradonian knight holding the bag mouthed 'Thank you', and motioned for the map.

To her surprise, he didn't take it. Instead, he took pictures. After another short exchange with Jafar, he went on his way.

Grimhilde was glad she hadn't overheard their conversation. She wasn't sure she wanted any part of whatever the knight was planning. She wondered how Jafar had allowed himself to get roped into it.

"We're on the same side." He said to her, as he walked back to where she was standing.

"Did that knight tell you he wanted to get our children back here, too?" She asked. Her tone told him she highly doubted that.

He hadn't meant it in that way, and looked at her like she should've known that. "They want to find the people responsible. That's exactly what we're trying to do."

"But not for the same reason." The Evil Queen argued. "He's investigating because that's his job. That's what he gets _paid_ to do. We're doing this to get our children back. Or have you forgotten?"

"How could I forget? It was my idea." It wasn't just his words that had impact. He looked like he was tired of having to convince her of things. He looked like he was still asking for her trust. What he saw was that Grimhilde could have a point. "Maybe it is about the money for the investigators. But does their motivation really matter? They want to catch the criminals, same as us."

"They're not the same as us." The differences between Islers and Auradonians wasn't just in where they lived, but how. "Especially if they don't really care about our kids."

"Before now, I bet they didn't think _we_ really cared about our kids. You know who changed their minds?" The Evil Queen shook her head. She'd told herself she didn't want to know, but allowed Jafar to explain. "The girl with the good ears. She told them what we were up to. So they split up, and one came to find us." He pointed to the spot where the man had stood, and went on talking. "To ask for our help."

The Evil Queen's curiosity made her give up arguing. "A collaborative effort? That's what this is?"

"That's what it was. Ever since you agreed to help me. Now we just have more support."

"Will it work?' She had to ask. She'd found a clue, but it wasn't enough for her.

Jafar looked her straight in the eye. "I think part of the reason we failed at what landed us here, was because we thought we could do it all on our own. We may have had our minions, but we've never been part of a team."

She was willing to give that a shot if it meant a better chance of getting what she wanted. But before the two villains could continue to try their hand at being part of a team of heroes, she had to know something. "That one knight sought us out. What about the other one?"

* * *

The knight in question showed up at the Bargain Castle, since Jafar mentioned that he, the Evil Queen, and Cruella spent the majority of their time their before recently.

Cruella eyed the door oddly when she heard a knock. She was used to the others just barging in. She thought about staying put on the couch, but television was loud enough to indicate that she was inside. And though she felt more confused than threatened, she didn't want to test the patience of the person waiting outside.

She got to her feet and crossed the floor, her fur coat swaying as she walked. She yanked the door open and found an Auradonian knight standing on the other side of it. At the sight, she was almost sure she'd fallen asleep on the couch while watching the news.

"You must be lost."

"I'm assuming that's a joke." The investigator replied, regarding Cruella's phrasing. Then, she cut right to the chase. "Our investigation of the attack on your son led us to the docks. If there were clues to be found elsewhere, I would think you'd know what direction to point me in."

"You want to search Carlos' things?" Cruella's questioning tone told the investigator she wonded why anyone bothered to ask for permission to search. "There's nothing left. Not in the mansion, anyway."

"Where then? Could you take me?"

"I _could_." Cruella stressed.

Her tone did nothing to startle the other woman. "Sounds to me like you're not as open to collaboration as your friends are." The investigator said, sounding disappointed.

"What friends?"

That disappointment intensified when the knight realized it was possible Cruella had no other friends. Especially if she didn't count the ones she did have. "Jafar and the Evil Queen."

"I haven't seen those friends of mine in days." Cruella said bitterly.

"I'm sorry-" The investigator began before Cruella cut her off.

"They're not exactly the best company."

It was obvious that Cruella's friends had kept their search a secret. The investigator thought it best to keep it that way. "I bet they're less annoying than I am."

In spite of herself, Cruella let out a light laugh. "Not much of a contest."

It didn't hurt to hear what Cruella thought about the knight and her fellow investigators. She already knew that. "I'll get out of your hair." She promised. "When you help me."

"If a trip to the treehouse is what it takes to get you to go away, then follow me." Cruella ordered.

"Thank you." The investigator said, as they left the Bargain Castle with the TV still on.

Cruella scoffed at her sappiness. "Don't thank me yet. You haven't found anything."

* * *

Seeing Dr. Porter standing outside Carlos' hospital room never failed to make members of the group quicken their pace. Though the smile on the doctor's face calmed Evie down a little.

When the woman spoke through a smile, she knew not to be worried. "Evie, can you do me a favor?"

The Evil Queen's daughter wondered if Dr. Porter had heard about her project. And since she had never seen her in anything other than work clothes, perhaps she was asking for a change of style.

"Sure." The girl agreed.

The doctor opened the door and led her through. The two stood on either side of Carlos' bed. "Call his name." A simple request, just not the one Evie was expecting.

"Carlos?" She said softly. Not just because she was right next to him. She was trying to sound her sweetest. Trying to call him back to reality.

He didn't respond in any way. He continued to lie still.

Evie swallowed a sigh, and the doctor silently urged her to try again. "Carlos?"

Still nothing.

"Maybe you should sing to him." The doctor suggested, wondering why she hadn't said that in the first place. "It's what you normally do."

Evie remembered how caught by surprise Dr. Porter was when she heard that Carlos actually liked his mom's song. It seemed like the best choice.

" _Cruella de Vil, Cruella de Vil. If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will. To see her is to take a sudden chill…"_

While Evie paused for breath, the doctor silently reflected on the words and the way they were sung. That sweetness from seconds ago was gone. Evie delivered the song as a warning. The way it was supposed to sound.

" _Cruella, Cruella. She's like a spider waiting for the kill. Look out for Cruella de V-"_

Evie stopped at the sight of a twitch.

The movement took a fraction of a second, but she was sure she saw it. Carlos' pinky finger moved, seemingly in response to the song.

A smile spread across the doctor's face. Tears welled up in Evie's eyes.

"The team thought they saw him twitch this morning." The doctor told the girl, who was fearlessly letting her tears flow. "They didn't know what brought it on, and the wanted to double check. Now it's official," She declared. "Carlos is a minimally conscious state."

"I have to go tell the others." Evie decided. That twitch meant progress. That twitch meant hope. "I'll be right back."

Before Dr. Porter could insist that she'd tell them instead, since she wasn't the one with tears in her eyes, Evie was already out of the room.

The girl in blue raced down the hall, her heels clicking. When the others saw her face, they weren't sure what to think. Her eyes and her smile looked equally honest. For a brief moment, none of the others breathed.

Until Evie announced: "He moved!" Under a happy laugh, she repeated: "He _moved_!"

That smile of hers caught like fire, and none of the group seemed to mind that their cheeks burned.

* * *

Cruella didn't care to know what was up in the treehouse until Carlos was no longer around to tell her about it. She went up there once, after he left for Auradon. The one place she allowed him to have all to himself was empty, apart from all the inventions he left behind.

Many of them were a symbol of determination. Since not all of them seemed to function properly, but that hadn't discouraged him.

It didn't hit her until she saw it for herself. He was building things, without her. And she could bet that extended beyond what he could build with his hands.

When he got far enough away, he was able to build a life. Now, that life Carlos had built for himself was disrupted.

When Cruella took the investigator to see the treehouse, it didn't take her long to realize that had been disrupted as well.

While the knight searched for anything out of place, Cruella's eyes were already locked on the empty space.

"Something's missing?" She gathered.

Cruella nodded, because she couldn't tell her what even if she wanted to. She hardly knew how to describe it beyond it being a black box.

A black box with lights and -unbeknownst to them- nothing to beep about.

* * *

Dr. Porter and her team watched as the investigators pinned up a copy of Jafar's map in the shared spaced they called the evidence room. "Two of the suspects fled to the Isle." The top investigator reported. The doctor wondered how they arrived at that conclusion, but opted not to ask when she heard who provided this particular piece of evidence. "The Xs mark every spot Jafar and the Evil Queen have already been to."

"Do you think the attackers are changing hiding spots?" She asked, seeing some of the investigators shake their heads.

"We think they just found a really good one." The top investigator answered, before discussing the rest of the evidence that was uncovered. "They broke into Jafar's Junk Shop to steal disguises, and left some of their own clothes behind."

"That seems… miscalculated." It sounded stupid.

"Jafar's convinced they were just trying to fill space." That bit of information came from the knight who questioned him. "Make it look like nothing was missing." He held up the bag with the torn jacket inside. "This was one of Evie's designs, which proves…" He trailed off to allow the doctor to fill in the blank.

"The man on the security tapes wasn't the only one watching them."

"It's possible he was the only one who watched from a distance." The top investigator theorized.

The team processed this, while she asked: "Have you pieced together those fragments yet?"

"That should be done by tomorrow." He assured. "Some of our team took another look at the first crime scene and came up with this." He showed her another plastic bag.

Inside was a pink and blue walkie-talkie. If Audrey hadn't brought the other to decorate Carlos' room with, she wouldn't have recognized it. "That must be what Carlos used during the scavenger hunt." She could see water spots on the bag, and knew it'd been fished out of the lake. She could bet it didn't end up in there by accident. "You have anything else for us?" She asked the others.

"Carlos' prints _were_ lifted from Chad's phone." When she saw that the device in question was broken, it was no wonder why the walkie-talkie was found in the lake. It was the only means of calling for help left.

Another knight spoke up then. "Chad's infamous for losing phones." At the word 'infamous', the team couldn't help but exchange glances. He was infamous for other things now. "So it makes sense that he would save all the media on them to his laptop."

One of the team voiced a thought when he saw the investigators had that device in their possession as well. "He wasn't stupid enough to save any kind of correspondence with them… was he?"

"We didn't find anything that ties Chad to the attackers." The knight clarified. " _We_ didn't find anything on here, actually. His parents handed it over."

"Why?" Dr. Porter asked.

"They were feeling nostalgic." The top investigator told her. "They wanted to see their son without bars in front of his face. And they did." He said as the investigator holding the laptop set it down on the table and opened up the file the Charmings had discovered. "They also saw this."

He pushed play on a video from the night before the attack. After the scavenger hunt was over, most students relaxed. Chad included. But he had someone with him.

 _Carlos' face appeared in front of the camera. He didn't look particularly happy to be standing around in Chad's dorm room. But it did seem like he came there on his own accord. If the yellow percussion mallet in his hand was anything to go by. "This is gonna be terrible," He said, sounding uncharacteristically unenthusiastic. Maybe the fact that Chad was filming had something to do with it. " why document it?"_

 _On the other side of the camera, Chad was smirking as if Carlos had answered his own question. He decided to make that obvious. "Because it's gonna be terrible."_

" _Oh, so this is blackmail." That kind of thing was expected of the older boy._

 _The way his tone changed suggested he'd gotten used to those accusations. "No, it's… boredom." Carlos looked unconvinced. Chad didn't understand why. "Isn't that the reason you're here? 'Cause you're bored?"_

 _The younger boy paused before admitting what he thought would make Chad stop filming. "I'm here to check up on you."_

" _Twice in one day? I don't need you looking out for me." Chad dismissed. Though he wasn't telling Carlos to leave. "You gonna play or what?" The camera angle changed when he moved so that he was standing on the side of his desk. This way, the glockenspiel set out on top of the desk was in the shot along with Carlos._

 _The notes of the song Carlos tried to play were unrecognizable among all the wrong ones he hit. It was as if the instrument had a severe stutter. He gave up trying to get the song right when Chad's laughter began to drown the sound out._

" _It was good." The cameraman insisted when the other stopped playing to shoot him a glare. His eyes softened a bit as Chad went on. "Reminded me of some underground stuff." Carlos smiled faintly, until Chad finished his thought. "And by that, I mean it sounds like some kinda dungeon torture method." When Carlos' eyes narrowed to slits, Chad sounded the slightest bit scared. "Ease up genius, you'll learn. If you feel like it. Hold this." The screen went black as Chad's phone was shoved into Carlos' free hand._

 _The younger boy took a second to set up, since he was trying to determine whether or not the 'genius' comment was meant to be sarcastic. He had to question when Chad took the stick from his other hand, and grabbed another one. "You actually play?"_

 _In response, Chad raised his eyebrow at the camera. He gestured to the glockenspiel with one of the mallets and asked: "What'd you think, this was just here for decoration?"_

" _I don't know what to think." Carlos answered honestly "You don't even have a proper place for it." That was typical on the Isle, but not in Auradon._

 _Chad looked away from the camera before he answered. "I guess that's part of the cover." He looked back at Carlos and spoke at normal volume again to explain: My mom got it for me." The camera tilted a bit at the mention of Cinderella. "It reminds her of wind chimes. It makes her happy."_

" _Does it make you happy?"_

 _The slightest of smiles formed on Chad's face. "I love it." He said so as if he was daring Carlos to use that information for blackmail. The younger boy wasn't thinking about that. He was glad to have the video for proof, since he doubted he would remember this the next morning. They were both so tired._

" _Maybe you could've been a band geek."_

 _Instead of answering, Chad just started hitting notes. Carlos recognized the tune, but the minor key turned a hopeful song about dreams into a something out of a nightmare. It was beautiful, but hauntingly so._

 _He would've said something, but once the song was over, Chad told him: "I don't play well with others." His tone was a telling one, but Carlos wasn't sure he would elaborate. Even more telling was the crack in Chad's voice when he asked: "Can you stop recording?"_

When the video stopped, the investigative team saw that the hospital staff's confusion had not subsided. If anything, it was just buried under other emotions. They'd remained silent throughout the playback of the video, but their range of facial expressions spoke for how they felt.

Some were suddenly sympathetic, wondering why things went down the way many members of both teams were sure they had. Especially when it was evident that these two boys tolerated each other, at the very least.

* * *

"Whatever you're planning, it's gotta be insane." Ginny Gothel told the small group standing in front of her.

Freddie wasn't worried about that. "This whole place is insane. We're trying to fix something."

The others watched as Ginny rolled her eyes. Diego instinctively put his arm out to block Freddie's path, but she didn't even step forward. She let the other girl say her side. "If you wanna play heroes, wait for _King Ben_ to send you over to Auradon. And leave me out of it."

"This isn't just Auradon's problem." Diego told her.

"We all have problems." Ginny replied, gesturing to the group trying to recruit her. "Yours is that you think you can fix 'em."

"Well, maybe we'd have a better shot at it if you helped us." Niraya said. (She was back to holding Beelzebub. The reason Anthony gave for handing the cat back after such a short time was that he didn't trust himself with her.)

"Why do you need my help, anyway?" Ginny said 'need' because they sounded pretty desperate to her.

"Because you can get to places we can't." Diego explained. He could tell by the look his leader threw him that he probably said too much.

"What places?" Ginny hardly went anywhere. She called herself a homebody by nature, but nurture had more to do with that. Though not many describe her mother as 'nurturing'. Manipulative was a more fitting word. Ginny saw Freddie's group as the manipulators. Which is why she turned down their offer before they even got through making it. "Whatever you want from her, you're not gonna get it." Ginny gritted her teeth. "Especially not with my help."

"We'll help you, too." Anthony said, hoping the argument would be more convincing coming from the newest recruit. "We'll make it a fair trade."

His words hung in the air for a moment, before she shoved them back down his throat. Her teeth were now bared, and her eyes were wolf-like. "Nothing's fair about what you're asking me." Those wolf-like eyes scanned the others as she spoke next. "You don't get it because no one loves you." Ginny's glance set on Freddie when she finished her thought. "There's _no way_ I'm going on some suicide mission with you three and your pet catlady!"

She didn't have to argue anymore. Their backs were already turned when she found something to throw to emphasize her argument. She was aiming for Freddie, but wound up hitting Diego. "I probably deserved that." He mumbled, glad it didn't have any sharp edges. "Too much too soon." He looked to Freddie, expecting her to nod.

Instead she shook her head. "I should've known she was under her mother's spell."

Niraya sighed, which made everyone feel worse. Until she asked a question that showed she was trying to remain optimistic. "Is anybody's lucky number six?"

It was a rhetorical question, but Anthony actually had an answer. "Maybe we could still have a seventh."

"Who do you have in mind?" Diego asked curiously.

"Your aunt."

Freddie furrowed her brow. "Is that a joke?" (Niraya didn't share in her view, as she mouthed ' _Brilliant, Lord Tremaine_.' This time, it didn't seem sarcastic.)

Anthony didn't understand why she would think that. "Jafar and the Evil Queen are helping." (Which is why they were counted among the six.)

"That's 'cause they actually care." Freddie responded.

"They want their _kids_ back." Diego said. "I don't think Cruella ever saw Carlos as her kid."

"What if it's different now?" Anthony looked to the group leader for an answer.

Freddie told Diego: "It's your call."

He looked back at where they'd left Ginny, wondering if asking for Cruella's help would have similar results. Despite this, he said: "Let's go talk to her." He went to lead the way, but Niraya told him he probably wasn't going in the right direction.

"I don't think she's home."

"Do you know where she'd be?" Freddie asked.

"Probably the Bargain Castle. Maleficent had TV."

* * *

Before getting dressed for the dinner, Jane thought to use her magnifying glass to check in on Chad again. She was the only one in her dorm room, and wasn't sure if she would've attempted this again if Audrey was around. It was easier for Jane to concentrate when she was alone.

The last time this happened, it was an accident. And that seemed simpler than trying to summon an image, so she tried not to think too hard. A few long seconds went by before anything appeared.

Jane could see Chad in his cell, scribbling away at a piece of paper that he'd torn from the book the opposite elbow was holding open. When he ran out of room to write, he tore out a blank page. In the process, his long sleeve slid up slightly to reveal a mark on his wrist. Jane winced at the sight. As his hand moved, she could see the red ring likely went all the way around. It looked like it should be cutting off his circulation, but he wrote as if he didn't notice.

Her eyes stung. They had glazed over with tears, so she couldn't read anything he was writing despite her efforts to set her focus on the book before the image disappeared completely. The last thing she saw was that she wasn't the only one crying. The book closed when Chad moved his elbow off of it, to avoid smudging any ink.

* * *

Cruella doubted any other Auradonian knights were coming to talk to her when a knock interrupted her TV time again. When she opened the door, her eyes set on the one leading a short line of kids formed outside of it. Her nephew.

"Hey." He said.

She came back with: "Yeah?" To prove she was unimpressed with his opener. She was trying to sound apathetic, but a sound from inside made him doubt that she felt that way.

"Are you watching coverage of that dinner at Auradon Prep?"

If he could hear that, she didn't see a reason to confirm it. Apart from: "I was until you knocked." She said that as if knocking was disrespectful, rather than simply out of the ordinary.

"Can we watch with you? And talk at commercials?"

Rather than a flat-out refusal, Cruella asked: "About what?" She tried to make it seem like she was all talked out. But the only person who talked to her that day did so for a case.

"Not what." Diego phrased himself that way because the plan he was involved in was about the people his group was trying to help. And if Cruella didn't understand that, maybe his lucky number was six.

With an over-exaggerated hand motion, and an exasperated expression to match, his aunt ushered him and the others inside.

* * *

Audrey thought wearing a tiara might be overdoing her look a bit. She decided to keep things simple, especially since she had a late start on getting dressed for the dinner.

Ben opted to leave his crown at home, as he often did. To prove to the dinner guests -without having to say so- that he was on the same level as his friends. That they were as important as he was.

Doug struggled to keep the smile on his face while Evie put on his bowtie for him. He appreciated the help, as his own hands were failing him lately. The button he'd missed was proof enough of that.

Evie adjusted that for him as well, and noticed he couldn't help flinching. He wasn't uncomfortable, just surprised. And in that moment, the smile he wore was a nervous one. She told him: "You look great." In case his insecurities were getting to him again.

" _We_ look great." He replied, to show that they weren't. The thoughts clouding his mind -and making him stumble through getting ready -had nothing to do with how he saw himself appearance-wise.

Jane was dressed before any of the others, and returned to her dorm room to find Audrey there waiting.

Her feet were bare even though her shoes were just a few steps away. She was standing in front of the mirror, but not looking at it. Her head was down and her arms were folded.

"Almost ready?" The younger girl asked worriedly.

"I'm working up to it." Audrey answered honestly. Her roommate knew she couldn't mean working up to putting on her shoes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Audrey assured, before rethinking her statement. She didn't get a chance to rephrase.

"Then why won't you look at me?"

The older girl turned her back to the mirror. When she faced Jane, she knew something was off. It looked like she could sense that Audrey was keeping something from her. It never crossed her mind that the other girl might be keeping a secret of her own.

"I might have the worst timing in the world, but there's something you need to know." Jane didn't interrupt, but she looked even more upset then she'd sounded. "I had a few chances to tell you and… if I wait any longer, maybe you won't wanna hear it. You might be mad because we're already dealing with so much," Audrey warned. "but I'd rather have you know and be upset than pretending to be happy while you're wondering. That 'ignorance is bliss' stuff never really worked for you."

Jane heard Audrey's voice break as she nodded. Every answer brought more burning questions, and she worried she would suffocate thanks to the metaphorical smoke. "I think I'm done being angry." Jane said in a low voice, thinking of the times her anger caused trouble. "This whole thing is as scary as it is sad." She told Audrey, placing a hand on her bare shoulder. "Being scared of each other is not gonna help."

"I'm not scared of _you_." Audrey explained, as a tear rolled down her cheek. A tear formed by frustration. She found it horrifying that Jane could ever mistakenly believe that she was afraid of her. "I'm scared that I… misread all the signs." She wondered how she could have, when they were wearing proof that other people saw the signs as well. "Look at us. We match." Both Jane's hand and jaw dropped at the realization that Audrey wasn't talking about the dresses, which were each adorned with a heart. Audrey's eyes were locked on hers. "I think we'd fit good together. But if you don't like me like that… I'll be okay. I wouldn't be if I just kept quiet about it."

Words escaped Jane in that moment. She'd seen the signs, too. And the signals she'd sent were entirely intentional. She didn't think she could put that into words. Until Audrey confessed her feelings, Jane had convinced herself she was lucky enough to count the older girl as her friend. So why bother wishing for anything else?

To avoid prolonging the silence, Jane told Audrey: "I think keeping quiet would've wrecked me, too." She sounded sad, but she was smiling. "You're so cool, and that was _always_ intimidating. But the more we talked, the more I saw that you don't always have everything together. Is it weird to say that that was a relief?"

Audrey laughed lightly. "No. It means that I trust you to see me like that. And I know you understand, even when you can't relate." Her tone implied that she worried Jane couldn't relate here.

"One of my favorite things about you is how you have those thousands of pictures of us on your phone and everywhere else." By 'us' the younger girl meant the whole group. "That's one of the ways you remind us that we're important. And… since I struggled with that, sometimes it's hard for me to believe how much people mean it." Jane admitted.

"Believe me, I _really_ mean it." Audrey answered, almost accidentally. Now that Jane knew, it was the kind of thing she saw herself saying all the time. She just didn't think she'd sound so smooth the second time around.

She might've said more, but Jane took her hand.

They'd held hands before. The first time was after forming this unholy alliance, picking on people who they were now great friends with. They'd come so far since then.

They were better people. They knew who they were, and they knew what they wanted.

"I really mean it, too, Audrey." These simple words validated every late-night conversation and held gaze the two had shared recently.

They wore matching gleeful grins as they embraced each other, not planning on letting go for a long time. Until they remembered they had somewhere to be. That realization -which hit them both at the same time- was written in their widening eyes. "We should go." Jane said, sounding panicked because she didn't want to be late.

They left the room and were halfway down the hall before Audrey figured out why her feet felt cold. "Wait, my shoes!" She went back to get them, and Jane followed.

"I was wondering why I felt taller."

Both girls laughed as they made their way down the hall again.

* * *

Jay and Lonnie were among the last of the students to arrive at their table for dinner. They knew exactly where to sit, because of the way their chairs were decorated: with a black snake and pink cherry blossom respectively.

The group was still on their feet, looking unhappy with the seating arrangements. Mal's chair- decorated with green and purple dragons- was at one head of the table. Ben's was opposite hers. Stylized so it reminded others of the lovely little beast he was.

The chair with the cracked crown on it was meant for Evie. She didn't mind in the least that it was placed next to Jay's, but would've preferred if the one with green gemstones was directly across from it. Doug's chair was wedged between the ones with a pink bow and bluebird.

He took it upon himself to correct this, by pulling his chair out and bridging the gap between Jane and Audrey's chairs.

Seeing this, the younger girl wondered allowed: "Did… everyone know we were a thing before we did?"

"That was kind of just instinct," Doug replied. He did it without having to think about why. "so… maybe?" He sent the new couple a smile as he spoke.

Ben had a different answer for Jane's question: "I definitely knew." He sounded proud of himself, while looking proud of them. Mal was too busy laughing about his response to figure out where to move her chair, so she moved it off to the side for the time being.

Evie nodded. "Look how you're dressed." She said, giving the two girls hugs. Her excitement for them was written in her eyes.

"We knew about you two." Audrey assured. Then, in a mumble, she added: "Or, at least, I did."

"I had a feeling." Jane agreed.

Lonnie lifted her chair, placing it in the spot where Mal's had been before it was moved. "Who wrote up the seating chart?"

Ben shrugged. "The only seating arrangements that made sense to me were mine and Mal's." He said as his girlfriend moved her chair next to his.

"Why?" She asked, as Doug moved his chair to be beside hers. (That way, it finally was across from Evie's.)

"Kings and queens typically sit at opposite ends of the table." He explained.

"Oh, so I'm your queen?" She asked with a smirk.

It wasn't official, not in a written way, but that didn't matter to him. "I'd hoped that was obvious."

No one else felt the the need to move their chairs, so they all sat. With the seating arrangement sorted out, they were finally able to take a look around. They quickly drew their eyes away from the two empty spaces around their own table, which they were sure were meant for Carlos and Chad's chairs.

The food was set out buffet style, but everything was covered to prevent it from cooling down too much. There were ice sculptures -provided by Elsa- on smaller tables where no one sat. One caught Lonnie's attention because she was sure it was essentially an ice bust of the campus mutt.

"Dude's probably so mad at me for leaving him home."

Mal found that hard to believe. "Mad's one of Dude's moods?"

"Yeah. He's already ignored me twice."

"Don't feel bad." Jay told her. "Carlos' cat used to ignore us all the time."

"Carlos had a cat?" Jane asked in a small voice. This was new information to the AKs.

"He still does." Evie replied. "She's just back on the Isle."

"Why didn't he bring her here?" The pet-sitter asked.

Jay answered, using the logic Carlos did when he made the decision to leave Beelzebub behind. "He didn't want her getting devoured by dogs."

Doug asked the question no one else really wanted to think about. "What do you think happened to her after you guys left?" In his mind, the cat was helpless.

The VKs disagreed. "She's Isle-bred." Mal pointed out. "She can take care of herself."

Audrey shuddered, making Evie wonder if she should've designed a jacket to go with her dress. "Even if that's true, it's gotta be lonely."

"Yeah," Jay said. "but some people… or cats can handle living lonely lives."

"Like Auradon's lone recluse." Mal added sourly, thinking about the man she and Evie had seen on the security tapes. No one in the kingdom really knew who he was. And, as far as the group knew, no one had a lead on where to find him.

"Every kingdom has one." Her boyfriend told her. "Just ask my dad."

Mal knew Ben was speaking figuratively, but she had to say: "He doesn't look like he's in the mood to talk right now."

Adam seemed embarrassed, as did his wife, Lonnie's parents, and Audrey's parents and grandmother. Those seven were seated at another table together, along with the Charmings. One chair at their table was empty. Presumably for Fairy Godmother, once she got done handing out the awards. (Doug's family were seated at several other tables, and looked happy that he and his friends had shown up at all. When the group looked their way, trying to catch a glimpse of all the guests' reactions, they gave a collective wave.)

"Do you think that's because we were later than everyone else?" Audrey wondered aloud.

Lonnie offered another guess. "Or because we played the most boring game of musical chairs ever?"

"It's probably a combination of both." Ben admitted, turning back to the group at his table.

They were glad when the cameras came out and Fairy Godmother stepped up to the podium at the front of the room. While they found themselves tuning her out, their own embarrassment overwhelming them during her introductory speech, those on the Isle were tuning in.

Cruella watched as her nephew and his new friends crowded around her, cramming onto the couch.

They watched in silence for awhile, not seeing the point of all this. Kids were getting awarded for doing things that were required of them. It wasn't anything special. But seeing the likes of Anna and Kristoff, Tiana and Naveen, Aladdin and Jasmine and Eric and Ariel clap for their children, Diego had to wonder something.

He gave Freddie the slightest nudge and whispered, since he originally agreed on only talking at commercials. "Why'd you wanna recruit Ginny in the first place? Is it just that she doesn't have a parent like those?" He gestured to the screen in front of them, and added: "'Cause that's everyone's story here."

She shrugged. "I figured Chad's vain and Mother Gothel _literally_ teaches the class on vanity. In his twisted mind, that's probably inspiring." She doubted the woman had any real connection to the actual crime. As manipulative as she could be of her own daughter, she mostly sat around trying to look pretty.

Anthony cleared his throat in that moment, and it sounded like he actually needed to. "Are we in any position to be calling kids twisted?" He asked at normal volume, from where he sat on the opposite side of the couch. The group leader and her second-in-command seemed surprised that he overheard them. Niraya on the other hand seemed impressed to find out that his hearing was on par with hers. "I thought Chad was the innocent one here."

"No one's innocent here." Freddie countered.

Diego backed her up. "Or there, apparently." He still had another question for Freddie. But the way it came out, he sounded sure of it. "So even if Ginny couldn't help us, you just wanted to save her."

Freddie didn't confirm that with words, but the expression on her face told Diego she couldn't deny it.

The next person to speak was Fairy Godmother. "High marks have been common among Auradon Prep students since the school was founded, but they get a special mention when the person receiving them didn't know they had the potential to do so. Sometimes, when skills go unrecognized, they're given up on. That's why events like this exist. That's why awards like this one," The woman held an award up, but the engraved name was facing her. "which acknowledges the accomplishment of a student earning their metaphorical gold stars exists." She turn the award around as she finished her thought. "Tonight's first Stellar Grades Award…"

Evie didn't stand when her name was called. She was too stunned to. The group at her table -and many others- clapped for her, urging her to go up to get her award.

It wasn't the first time that night that Mal noticed Doug's claps were offbeat compared to everyone else's. This was strange, coming from a band leader.

Evie made her way to the podium. Witnessing her stand around awkwardly was a first for many.

"Would you like to say something?" Fairy Godmother asked as she handed the award over, letting the girl know that she didn't have to give a speech.

When Evie gave a nod, her headmistress stepped off to the side to let her speak. "I come from a place where people cheat just to get by in life, and I thought there was no other way. Learning I was wrong about that allowed me to see how much I'm truly capable of. And if I ever forget, I don't just have this award to remind me." At those words, the kids crammed on the couch with Cruella got a good look at the award recipient's nails. They were painted all black apart from the tips, which were white. (Contrasting her surprisingly simple blue dress, which was accented with ruby red accessories.) Evie wrapped up her speech by saying: "To my friends, classmates and teachers… thank you." She smiled. As she made her way back to her seat, she noticed that Mr. Deley was among the many smiling back.

"Our next award has been given to students who turned hobbies into passions, and created a brighter world just by showing others how they see it. This award serves as a reminder to keep making your mark on the world. Despite what the critics might say." Just like last time, Fairy Godmother held the award up and turned it so the engraved part faced the crowd. "The Aspiring Artist Award…"

Mal was the only one who looked surprised when her name was called. She got to her feet, walking as fast as she could in heels. The applause was embarrassing her more than the looks the adults wore upon the group's arrival. Fairy Godmother didn't have to ask if Mal had a speech, since the girl had already started speaking before she was all the way in front of the microphone. (All she got out was 'Thank you', and that was loud enough to be heard without it.) "Art's all about perspective, whether you're the one creating it or the one appreciating it. My perspective changed when I saw that what I thought was just a way of marking my territory was considered an art here in Auradon." It took hearing it from the transfer students to know how happy they were being away from the Isle. The kids saw it, even with Maleficent's TV's iffy reception, but they wondered if Cruella could. A lot of adults on the Isle lived life with metaphorical blinders on. Whatever her perspective on this, she seemed uncomfortable. Which is why she hadn't spoken. "Here's the thing:" Mal said, bringing the other Isle kids' attention back on her. "Whatever you're passionate about, whatever makes you happy… it's an art. So…" She trailed off trying to stifle a laugh, and decided instead to just speak through it. "Always be creating."

She heard Jay's hand hit the table when the unexpected inside joke hit his ears. Evie laughed louder than any of the Auradonians had come to expect from her, and though the others at the table didn't understand why, they couldn't help laughing along as Mal made her way back to them.

Soon the whole room was full with sounds of laughter. The kids back on the Isle exchanged glances, wondering how that could be. It seemed out of place, even if this was supposed to be a happy occasion.

Anthony was the first of them to chuckle. Then Niraya. Soon the four kids were cracking up, and Cruella was looking at them like they'd officially lost their minds.

"Why is that funny to _you_?" She asked. "I swear I can hear the cat laughing."

"We don't know." Niraya answered, once she recovered from her laughing fit. She was just glad the others had something to laugh about.

* * *

The ceremony moved on to the athletic awards portion. "Auradon students are constantly challenging themselves to make their next work their best work. In all our history, I can't remember when that was done in such a short amount of time. Recently a performance was put on that rallied students and faculty, and made a lasting impression." Fairy Godmother slowly spun the award around to face the spectators. "This year's Astounding Choreography Award goes to Lonnie Li."

Lonnie looked up at the mention of her name, a beaming smile on her face. While she made her way to the podium, Mal commented to those at the table: "Rotten-to-the-Choreography would've sounded better."

When she got up to the microphone, the first word out of Lonnie's mouth was " _Wow_! Thanks so much. And a _huge_ thank you goes to two of my best friends, Jane and Audrey." She sent a congratulatory smile the couple's way before continuing: "For coming up with the idea to collaborate and bringing in the cheer squad so that we could. I'm so grateful to both teams for _putting up with me_." The way she stressed those words proved she knew that could be a challenge at times. "Cause I know it wasn't easy, but we did it!" She punctuated her sentence by lifting her award into the air. She spoke over some applause as she listed off the names of the other cheerleaders and dancers, then said: "this one's for you!"

Fairy Godmother went up to present the next award. "Auradon Prep's mission statement is: _Helping the children of today become the heroes and heroines of tomorrow_. Leaders that are not only brave, but also honest and willing to make sacrifices. Willing to embrace change, especially within themselves." Nearly everyone watching thought they knew where the headmistress was going with this speech, until she said that. "Leaders who learn from their mistakes and become better people for it." She held up an award, ready to reveal a name that most of the crowd no longer had a sure guess about. "This year's Captain of All Captains…"

Audrey almost took the announcement of her name as a joke.

The kids watching from the Isle took it very seriously. "Well, that settles it." Diego decided: "Ya know this thing can't be rigged if she beat out the _king_."

Freddie chuckled, surprising herself with what she said next. "Go, girl."

"A captain's only as good as her team, right?" Audrey asked, only receiving cheers in response. "This year, I discovered that my team extends beyond the amazing girls on the cheer squad with me. When the VKs showed up, I saw that people weren't afraid to call me out on things, challenge my opinions… and tell me when I'm wrong. Once I knew that, I knew I had to change. And it wasn't as tough as I thought, because I had people rooting for me." She smiled faintly, then grew noticeably quieter. If it wasn't for the microphone, Audrey's conclusion might've gone unheard. "Don't be afraid of change, especially not... if you could use one. It just might be the thing that saves you."

The room went virtually silent for a few seconds, aside from a nervous squeak and the sound of a door closing somewhere else. Then thunderous applause -started by Adam- broke out.

Jane had tears of joy in her eyes. She hugged her girlfriend for the second time in under an hour when she got back to the table. "Congratulations."

Fairy Godmother returned to the podium, ready to announce what many thought was the last athletics award of the night. "Tourney is one of Auradon's favorite pastimes. Some professional players have gotten their start right here at Auradon Prep. Each one took on this title at one point or another. When I say this title, there will be no question of who earned it, and no mistake." She was hardly halfway through the reveal before the crowd started cheering. "Auradon's Most Valuable Player…"

Jay's name was called and he went up to accept his award. He started his speech by informing the audience of something the majority of them already knew. "I don't talk much compared to my friends, so… thanks." For a brief moment, some suspected that's all he would say. "My teammates know that… this started as a way to get my anger out. But playing angry doesn't always work out so well. It's not what earned me this. Learning how to be a part of a team is what earned me this." His eyes found his coach and teammates in the crowd as he spoke their names. "Coach Jenkins, Ben, Aziz, William, Bendan-" The Charmings turned clenched fists into clasped hands beneath the table as their son's name was understandably skipped. "Tyrone, Akio, Miguel, Carlos…" Jay paused for the roaring applause he'd been expecting. That gave him a moment to wonder if if he should care whether or not the sound drowned out the break in his voice. (Not only was it noticeable for those in attendance, those watching from home heard as well. It was enough to make Cruella move from the couch and pretend she was looking for something in the fridge.) When the clapping died down, Jay finished his speech. "Thank you for teaching me."

When Jay made his way back to his table, the other team members in attendance went over to personally congratulate him. As did his coach.

* * *

One of the last portions of the ceremony focused on awards given for excellence in extracurricular activities.

"And now for another award that recognizes a hobby-turned-passion. Much like Mal's artwork, it's something that has swept the kingdom. It's an art, yes," Fairy Godmother said, making Mal and many others realize that the recipients weren't the only ones improvising speeches. "and a talent that should be celebrated. Please put your hands together for a double-threat, our Fashion Forward Award winner…"

Evie considered this something of an assumed win, now that she knew VKs could win awards like this. She was much more confident this time around, and that could be seen in the way she moved. Her walk was more of a strut, since she was wearing some of her proudest work and wanted to show it off.

"I used to design just for myself." Evie admitted. At first, that sounded like typical reformed-VK talk. Until she finished her thought. "That was less about my attitude, and more about what was available to me. Now that I have more materials, I can share what I love to do. We can all be the fairest in our right." She told the crowd. "And if you don't believe me, just look at all those gorgeous people at my table."

Evie signaled for them to stand up, and blew a kiss their way. The fact that Doug 'caught' it with both hands was very reminiscent of something. (The others laughed, though they noticed his hands were a little shaky.) Evie said her thanks again, after Fairy Godmother told the news crew to make sure they got plenty of shots of the group wearing her designs.

When it was time to announce the second-to-last award winner of the night, Fairy Godmother said: "This ceremony is all about celebrating young minds. Many of the awards have been around for generations, but this one in particular was created for students who build on ideas for something new, to give back to the community. This year, it's called the Innovative Inventor Award…"

Doug approached the podium when his name was called. And although Fairy Godmother handed his award directly to him, he managed to drop it. Because of this, 'thank you' and 'sorry' rolled into one word that she had to smile about and brush off at the same time.

His speech proved what the others' had hid well. He wasn't prepared to give a speech. He also wasn't afraid to admit it outright. "Uh, I wasn't expecting this. I didn't come up with the concept for this invention. That idea came from the genius that is Carlos de Vil." Some of the audience members actually giggled at this mention of his name. Doug went on: "But he told me that he only thought of it when I told him I was having trouble sleeping. He said he forgets sometimes that things can go bad here, too." The whole room hushed, but the audience knew Doug wasn't done with his speech. "These are rough times in the kingdom. Stuff like our invention, which will be named later, are little beacons of hope." Evie noted that he made a point to say the word 'beacons'. "And it's my hope that what I built… will be everything Carlos wanted it to be." Doug's eyes were dry, but the same could not be said for everyone watching. He stepped away from the podium, but went back when he remembered he had one more thing to say. "And if it's not, I'm sure I'll be hearing about it later." These last few words lightened the mood a little.

Doug found his seat again and Fairy Godmother took to the podium for one last time that night. "Every so often, there are students who make strides all across the board. Doing well in the classroom, on and off the field, and in their own spaces. Tonight, I'm proud to present another Stellar Grades Award, the Most-Improved Player Award, and the Creativity in Computers Award to Carlos de Vil." His friends were expecting that, but not the words their headmistress said next: "Mal, Jay, Evie… will you please accept on his behalf?"

Slowly, the three of them found their footing. The others at their table wore encouraging expressions. They stepped up to the podium, each taking one of the awards from Fairy Godmother.

None of them had the words for an acceptance speech. At least, not the kind Carlos would give. They looked amongst themselves, silently deciding what to say. It didn't seem right to speak for the person they were accepting for, so instead they spoke _to_ him. "Carlos…" The three began, before each of them took turns sending the younger boy a message.

Mal said: "We miss you."

Jay said: "We love you."

Evie said: "We'll see you tomorrow."

The other Isle kids exchanged glances, Diego shed another tear. Cruella was looking at the Bargain Castle floor. Beelzebub padded across the top of the couch and plopped down next to the woman for the first time in her nine lives.

Ben and Doug were looking at their girlfriends as they got to their feet, starting a standing ovation.

Cadence's eyes were set on Jay. In contrast to everyone else, the expression she wore was a critical one. Like she found a flaw in the speech. When he caught her glance, she knew there was no sense in looking away. She did so anyway, out of habit.

* * *

Once the award ceremony was over and the dinner officially began, the Charmings left their seats, barely uttering a 'goodbye' to Adam and Belle, the ones who played devil's advocate for them.

The judgemental eyes the couple had tried to avoid in the hallways of Auradon Prep had surrounded them while they helped set up for the dinner. When their friends asked why they held their tongues about it, they said there wasn't anything to do if the others were set in their thinking. And at least they were honest about how they felt. For Cinderella and her husband, it was hard to feel much at all.

Fairy Godmother saw the two of them trying to make their escape. They saw no point in staying, as they'd only shown to support for the award winners. Aside from clapping, they stayed silent. Though they were surprised to see that not everyone at the table that would've been their son's had something to bring home with them.

The Coronation Hall's unexplored sections were difficult to navigate. The two were looking for an exit away from where the others were eating, but finding on proved to be a challenge. It was possible they had so much on their minds that they weren't discussing, and that led them to getting lost.

Fairy Godmother was still on their trail though, hoping she could convince them to rejoin the celebration. Since she'd delivered quite a few good speeches throughout the night already. She found the couple in a storage room, just as they found something else.

Two chairs placed directly next to each other, a symbol on the back of each. Crossbones on one, and shield with an upward-facing dagger in the center on the other.

Cinderella slowly stepped forward to see what was leaning against the arm of Chad's chair.

An award, with his name etched in it. In her hands, it felt heavier than it was. She set it back down again for fear that she'd drop it.

She felt her husband's sad eyes on her. When he tried to turn her away from the chairs, she protested.

But not with words. Her body recoiled, a shrill sound escaped her lips, and every emotion she'd been holding inside began to spill from her eyes.

For a moment, all Fairy Godmother did was watch from the doorway, feeling useless to help. The magic she now went without could not fix this problem.

Charming wrapped his arms around his wife, once she stopped letting her anger at the situation translate to anger at him. Like the headmistress, he'd seen this before, and it never failed to break him.

The couple's cries expressed all that they could not in words about the distance between them and their son, the monster he'd failed to convince them he was, and the numbness that had consumed them because of that.

As Fairy Godmother come to console them, Cinderella and her husband heard the words of the VKs' speech echo in their minds. The promise those three made for Carlos was one that they'd keep for Chad.

 _We miss you. We love you. We'll see you tomorrow._

* * *

When dinner was done, the tables were cleared away so that the guests had room to dance. Chairs were left lining the room for anyone who needed a break. The only issue with that was anyone who wasn't on the dancefloor was forced into a sit-down interview with Snow White.

Ben and Jane were the latest victims.

She could sense him suppressing a groan upon being addressed as 'Your Majesty'.

"Are you disappointed that you didn't win anything this year?"

"I don't see it like that." He admitted. "Nearly all the relationships in my life have gotten stronger since the last time I was here. I count that as a win."

Those watching at home were wondering why interviews were going on post-ceremony. And why they hadn't flipped the channel.

"Aren't we supposed to hate this guy?" Freddie asked, getting a playful scoff out of Niraya.

"How could you? He's so _cute_." The way she said that, the others knew she wasn't talking about his looks.

That exchange made them miss Snow White's next question, which was apparently about Jane but not directed at her. The king fixed that by taking the microphone and pointing it her way. Knowing full-well he'd be hearing about that from someone later.

The Isle kids delighted in the sight.

With a confident smile, Jane told the reporter: "I agree with Ben about… the stronger relationships. Plus, we really just came for the free food."

The joke caught Ben off guard. He had to cover his mouth to stifle laughter.

His mother wondered what was going on as she watched from across the room. She turned to her husband and asked: "What do you think our son's doing over there?"

"Being tortured." The former beast said flatly. "At least he doesn't have to suffer alone."

"Poor kids." She said through a sigh. "Why don't we dance our way over to them?"

"I'm not gonna turn that offer down."

The Invention-to-be-Named-Later was playing some slow-tempo symphony. Which allowed Adam and Belle to show off their best dance moves, which some in attendance hadn't seen since their wedding.

In a way, the guests were transported back there. Even those who weren't around to experience it. It didn't take long for all eyes to be on the couple. Ben was the last to look over. His emerald eyes were wide in amazement. He got to his feet. He didn't feel bad about leaving the interview, especially since the cameras were now on the dancers. He looked around for his girlfriend, hoping to share a dance with her alongside his parents. Mal had left the room. And she wasn't the only one.

He knew not to worry. If it was anything urgent, the group would already know. So he looked over at Jane. She didn't notice until he spoke, since she was focused on Adam and Belle.

"I've never seen Audrey happier than when she's dancing. You should ask her."

Jane stood as well. Her mother watched as she crossed the floor and held out her hand. It had been hard to find a smile with the state the Charmings left in, but Fairy Godmother felt her frown disappear when Audrey gladly accepted Jane's offer to dance.

Others joined in, and Evie wasn't going to wait for an invitation. She turned expecting to see Doug nearby, but he wasn't. She'd been so wrapped up in her conversation with Lonnie, she didn't notice where he went off to.

* * *

A shuddering breath called Mal's attention to the bathroom across the hall from the one she just stepped out of. She knew who was in there, as seeing him leave the room where the others were prompted her to do the same.

Mal didn't think twice about going to check on him. She gave the door a slight push, not quite sure she was ready for what was behind it.

Doug looked more embarrassed than startled. He hardly had a good grip on the counter in front of him. His glasses were up on that counter. He'd taken them off because he was bound to fog them up at the rate he was crying.

She was shocked he got any words out. "It had to be you."

Mal hoped she'd misheard that. "Oh, I'm sorry, do you want me to _turn around_ and go get somebody else?" She knew it wasn't the time to tell him what his and Carlos' invention had nearly everyone dancing, and she was too insulted to do so anyway.

But Doug wasn't trying to insult her. "No, I mean it _had_ to be you."

"Okay, I'm lost." She told him as she leaned up against the counter. "And not just because I'm in the boys' bathroom."

He tried to chuckle, but it came out as more of a squeak. That very same squeak Mal heard when Audrey wrapped up her speech.

"I figured out what the worst part is for me." Doug explained.

"Yeah?" She asked softly. "And I have something to do with it?" When he nodded, she suddenly felt gripped by guilt.

Doug was doing his best to look her straight in the eye. "I can never look at someone the same… once I've held their head in my hands." Those hands of his were still shaking slightly, as if the secret he kept was outing himself whether he'd speak on it or not. Doug was done being quiet about this. "The four of you relied on us, to teach you how to adjust. And you trusted us. You trusted that we'd know… when to step back. I mean, that's why Evie can float on her own now."

Mal looked even more lost than before. "This is about swimming?"

"In a way. Carlos jumped into the deep end to prove a point. I ended up being the one keeping his head up after that. And I did the same for you."

She remembered, and she appreciated it. His expression didn't make it seem like he was accepting of her thanks. "Well… don't look it me like we thought you were gonna let us drown." That look didn't let up. It was as if Doug saw himself not as someone who would fail to keep the people he cared about safe, but as someone who might stop trying. "You _wouldn't_! You're not that kind of kid." (Mal had crossed paths with kids like that. Kids worse than that. Kids who didn't care.)

"Neither is Chad."

Mal tried her best not to sound agitated. She was looking to cheer Doug up, not start an argument with him. "How are you so sure of that?"

"Because I've held his head in my hands, too." Doug told her. She didn't know that was something she'd been there for. Her back was turned at the time. "He deserved what happened to him that day. And it wasn't like the sleeping spell did any damage. It's not like I don't see that he's done bad things before." The edge that entered Doug's tone told Mal that the incident that happened on Family Day was particularly inexcusable.

"I know. But what do you see that I don't?" Knowing that was the only chance she had at understand what had Doug so distraught.

"You remember how everyone… practically everyone turned on you that day?"

"It's not something I can forget." Mal replied. It's not like she hadn't tried.

"They were convinced you weren't anything but evil. Did they have you convinced, too?" His question stunned her silent, so he told her: "You don't have to answer that."

"No, you're right." Mal responded. "I stopped trying to make them see us as anything else. But it didn't last long." That was the difference. "I saw how much we had to lose. Chad didn't… and he had more."

Doug didn't argue that. Not that way she thought he would. "More material things. Superficial things. What if he was more like you guys than any of us want to admit? What if being born here just… made him look worse?" These were two questions Mal didn't have answers for, and Doug was about to ask two more. These questions told her what was really troubling him. "What if I stepped back too soon, Mal? What if Chad drowns?"

She knew he didn't mean that literally, but she felt herself start to sink. A few seconds went by before she spoke. "If Chad really is more like us, then… he doesn't need someone else to save him." This made some sense to Doug. Chad might not need a hero, but he could probably use a friend. Even if he was responsible for pushing all his friends away. "You're allowed to feel bad for him and us." She said, handing Doug back his glasses. She came in perfectly clear when he put them back on. "But don't treat yourself like you've doomed us all. You _are_ helping people." She promised, seeing Doug smile. "Come see what you started."

* * *

The dance floor was crowded, and not just as a way to avoid interviews. Halves of couples rested their heads on the other's shoulders. Not everyone had a partner to dance with, but no one felt like they didn't belong there.

"I can't believe you agreed to dance with me after the way you looked at me." Jay said.

"I can't believe you _asked_ me to dance after the way I looked at you." Cadence replied.

"I wasn't just gonna let you be mad at me." It was nice to know he cared, but it was because he seemed to care so much that she was upset in the first place. "What did I do?"

"It's not about what you did, Jay."

He didn't ask any more questions. He didn't want to have this conversation out where everyone could hear.

Jay still had no doubts about what he told Lonnie in the pet store. Members of the group had made mistakes that would cause them to drift apart eventually. He was going to hold of the inevitable for as long as he could.

Or, at least, until the morning.

* * *

A copy of the map Cadence had left in Carlos' room now hung in the evidence room next to the copy of Jafar's map.

Dr. Porter didn't know about the tear left in the original version of the first map. She did know of the type of frustration Jafar and Grimhilde felt from finding out how difficult their search was.

Her patient progressed day by day, little by little. A twitch at a time. She hovered around his hospital bed, as she did every night, wondering when she and her team would uncover what really happened to him.

She turned some music on for Carlos, thinking that might be the key to getting him to move again. She tried her best to stay away from anything that sounded remotely close to a glockenspiel.

She watched the waves on the monitor. It was always a calming sight, seeing them climb steadily on.

* * *

" _Carlos, did you fall asleep on the floor?"_

" _How is that different from any other night?" He asked before he even realized he was talking._

" _Because this time you're in the living room." His mother pointed out. She didn't sound angry about it, just confused. And possibly even worried._

 _He sat up and saw that she was right. "Sorry."_

 _She laughed, which never failed to make him a little nervous. "For being exhausted?"_

 _He shrugged when he realized he had no idea what he was apologizing for, and just did so out of habit. He got to his feet, wondering what time it was._

 _The sun was shining through the floor-to-ceiling window. Again. He couldn't remember how many times he saw that happening. He tilted his head trying to get a better look at whatever was on the pane. Before Cruella made him clean it. He set his focus on her then, so she wouldn't follow his glance. Suddenly he felt like he didn't want her to see what was out there._

 _When he looked at her, he saw that she wasn't wearing a fur coat for once. "Are you doing laundry?"_

" _No, but I have been cleaning." She said with a smile. The still-seeming-spotless mansion convinced him of that, but he didn't understand it. Wasn't cleaning his job? Wasn't laundry his job? Wasn't everything his job? Cruella called him away from his thoughts when she asked: "Don't you wanna see your surprise?"_

 _He didn't understand why she didn't just bring it to him. Questioning that made even less sense to him. "Where is it?" He asked, standing up and stepping forward. This gave him a closer look at what was written on the window. But he made sure not to look too long._

" _Your room."_

 _He wondered why she didn't just call it what it was. The fur closet. And he didn't want to go in there._

" _Well, I'm sure it's great, but… I just got up. And if I go in there now, I might just fall asleep again." Carlos hoped that sounded like a legitimate reason, and not an excuse made up on the fly. Cruella hadn't done anything to make him scared recently, but she'd done enough in the past to keep him scared. Especially of a place with traps along its path. He knew he'd have to go back there eventually. "Later, okay?" He hoped that didn't come across as a demand. He needed to say something that would get him outside fast, not start an argument._

" _If that's how you want it." She was agreeing with him, but it sounded like she was trying to guilt him into reconsidering._

 _He had to fight that, but not by letting her knew he was onto her. "Thanks, Mom. I'll see you later." He hardly paused for breath._

" _Where are you going?" She asked with curiosity he still found somewhat creepy._

" _I'll know when I get there." He said with a smile._

 _Carlos left before she could say anything else. He waited around the side of the mansion, until she was no longer standing in front of the window._

 _Looking through it from the outside, Carlos saw what was scrawled on it in a mixture of mud and something else._

 _Right at eye-level with a dirty yellow color, was a number that Carlos wasn't sure if he could count as lucky:_ _23…_

 ** _Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! The good news is, I already have some of chapter 10 mapped out, because I had to cut the length of this chapter down. The not so good news is that I'll be busier than normal, but I'll squeeze time to write in anywhere I can._**

 ** _Feel free to tell me if you have any questions/theories/corrections. I'll update ASAP! =]_**


	10. The Cat and the Bag

**Long time my lovely readers! (Again, I apologize.) I wanted to have this up in time for Christmas, so it could be like a present. Happy Holidays everyone!**

 **This chapter has one Isle scene, one flashback and one limbo scene. (And most of the focus is on the VKs.) I had so many ideas for this chapter that I had to cut it down, or else it would be overflowing with information. Which just means I already have some ideas for future chapters.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to pinksakura271, kjay15, Only If, IWantColoredRain, Meiyo12, Paradise-san786, One4Sorrow and animelife211.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

A row of mannequins in various states of dress was the first sight that greeted Mal Tuesday morning. The sound of the sewing machine was what woke her. "I guess I can't be mad, since I encouraged this."

Evie turned around when she heard Mal's groggy tone. She stopped sewing so she could reply: "No sense wasting energy being upset at each other today."

"I don't see how we could be." Mal answered, getting to her feet. "After the night we had."

"It was a good time." Evie agreed. Neither of them could call it great, considering someone wasn't in attendance.

As Mal's vision cleared, she picked up on the patterns Evie included in her designs. Some had spots. "I bet I know what inspired these."

With a chuckle, Evie explained: "I thought about how everyone dressed for their first game without him. I couldn't get it out of my head, actually."

"I wanna hope that when we look back on this, we don't remember most of it." Mal admitted, though they both knew the most painful memories had a tendency to stick.

"Not me." Evie told her. "As sad as it is, it's making us better people. Better friends. I hope we hold onto that when everything's back to normal."

At this point, Mal had made it over to where her best friend was working. "Our definition of normal keeps changing. And it's never gonna go back to what it was before Carlos got attacked. But you're right about how we have to stick together." Without a solid foundation, things were sure to crumble. And if that happened, then everyone's challenges could not be met.

* * *

"You made me feel like a villain." Those words came from a place of pain, and it seemed odd that Jay would be hurt. (Despite the fact that he spoke to Cadence in his half-empty door room.)

He -proudly- referred to himself as a VK on a regular basis. Descended from evil-doers, he never denied that part of his identity. But he himself was not evil.

"I know." Cadence replied as if she could hear his thoughts in that moment. In actuality, she was telling him she recognized the impact of her statement from the previous night had made.

"Is that what you were trying to do?"

Running the risk of hurting his feelings further, she dismissed that in a way that told him she thought he knew her better than that. "Of course not." Her tone softened as she went on. "You're a good person in a bad situation, and I think we reacted to it the wrong way."

"But I thought you _wanted_ to help me."

Cadence had offered to help. And she didn't regret doing that. Just the way she went about it.

In her eyes, they both had to do something to change that. "I still am helping you, Jay."

"By backing out of our deal?!" He didn't bother watching his volume. He'd been comfortable enough around Cadence to tell her the root of his anger before.

"A deal we never should've made." She said, trying to get him to see her side. "My mistake was agreeing. Your mistake was letting it go on this long."

"But I have my reasons. And you know what they are." Hearing Jay speak about his reasons in the present tense, she knew he still saw those reasons as valid.

Though she didn't raise her voice, she was noticeably angered. "But those reasons don't make a lot of sense when Carlos has been through something that could-" He cut her off with a look more intense than the one she sent him when he went to accept Carlos' awards along with Mal and Evie. But Cadence just went on to a different thought. "Whatever happened between you guys-"

Jay interrupted again, almost accidentally. " _Nothing_ happened between us. Carlos said it himself. He made this decision on his own."

"Oh." Cadence said, in a state of mock clarity so subtle he didn't pick up on it. "So you struck this deal with me because you thought it would be disrespectful to Carlos to do otherwise?"

"Exactly." Jay said with finality.

Though she was far from finished. After a deliberate blink, she told him: "Well, I think that's a load of crap." For a fairly mild word, it caught him off guard. Since it was uttered by an AK. It stunned Jay into silence. "You're scared. Just as scared as you've always been. Since you got here, since before you left the Isle. Your whole life you've been scared." Her tone was fearless. She knew she was right. "But you have to put that aside for both your sakes. You've done that before."

"It was different then." He played keep away with a dragon because he had his best friends to back him up. All three of them.

Cadence wasn't letting him have any excuse. "Things are gonna keep changing. Over here you learn that things get worse before they get better."

"Never this bad." Not for two decades. Jay had heard that over and over since the attack.

Cadence saw things differently. "That's all relative. Here's what's not. Carlos is your best friend. Whatever he said to you, whatever decision he made… it doesn't change that. Nothing changes that. Your best friend gets hurt and you feel that pain, too. That's just how it goes. You have to deal with that pain."

Jay had his own way of dealing with the pain. And it helped, for awhile. Which is why he made a deal with Cadence. He needed a backup plan for handling this. And now she was turning against him. So he could only think of one way to reply. "I don't think I'm that brave."

"I'm not gonna be brave for you, but I'm not gonna just stand by and watch while you regress."

Jay took that as a threat rather than encouragement. "So if I don't tell them, you will?"

"I don't have to tell them anything." Cadence said. And she wasn't going to. "But if you don't say something soon, they're gonna find out on their own."

* * *

"Cruella's said she's already been through here." Diego informed the others as they stood staring up at Carlos' treehouse.

"Doesn't mean we can't scope it out." Freddie countered.

Niraya agreed. "We'll see it with different eyes."

Anthony sided with Diego. "I doubt we'll even know what we're looking at." Despite how he felt, he climbed up there with the others.

"Cruella said something was missing," Freddie recalled, watching Beelzebub slink around countless inventions, being careful not to knock anything over. "Why would they take it if they didn't need it for something?"

"People here don't need a reason to steal." Diego reasoned.

"Yeah, well, that's people here." Freddie answered, showing she wasn't concerned with any of the isle residents at the moment.

"Those Auradonians are here now." Anthony pointed out.

"Well, you can take them out of the kingdom…" When Freddie faltered, the others thought it was because she wanted them to fill in the blank for themselves. But she stopped speaking because she spotted the empty space. The cat sat, now occupying the emptiness. "Okay, I was wrong."

"More like you were right the first time, and wrong this time." Diego told her, as Beelzebub's tail twitched and curled around the area she sat in. Making Freddie's eyes go wide.

"What is it?" The other girl asked, because Freddie was seeing something the others weren't.

Or, more accurately, sensing it. "She doesn't just know what's gone." The girl explained, baffled by that.

"You mean she _saw_ them take it?" Her second-in-command questioned.

"I think so."

"What do you think the odds are she can lead us to their hideout?" Niraya asked excitedly, ready to bet anything that cat was capable of that. If she had anything to bet, that is.

Diego turned to her. "Don't you think she would've done that by now if she could?" He sounded angry, like Beelzebub was holding out on them. Making their mission pointless.

Anthony saw things differently. "Maybe she just wants us to be prepared for who we're gonna find."

As if in answer, the cat hopped down to the floor, circling something. Anthony's eyes followed her, and saw a scuff mark. He knelt down to touch the indentation left in the bark. The others crowded around him.

"You know what you're looking at, don't you?" Freddie prompted, making him look back at her.

"Yeah, I do," He confirmed. "And I can't say I'm surprised."

* * *

Early in the afternoon, Adam went down to the dungeon. "Sorry I couldn't get down here sooner." He had been busy relaying a message to his son, about another lead found in the investigation. Mail carriers had told the investigators that mail was piling up at certain houses. Narrowing the search grid significantly. Knowing where the attackers fled from made the knights one step closer to finding them.

"Sorry I ran out of ink." Chad replied, handing Adam back the book with all the notes he took inside of it.

"That sounded… genuine." Adam's tone was the surprised sort.

Chad's was deadpan. "Was that a compliment?"

Adam stopped flipping through pages and answered: "No, but this is. I don't see how you could have anything more to write down." For every bullet point the man had made, Chad had written a paragraph. "And you called yourself useless..."

"No," Chad corrected. "I said I _feel_ useless. You found a use for me."

"I only did this because you gave me the books." Adam was pushing for the prisoner to give himself some credit.

He didn't seem to grasp that. "Yeah but, now you feel sorry for me." Next to his parents and the king, Chad thought Adam was the only person in all of Auradon who did. Then he thought again.

"Even if that is true, feeling sorry for you is not gonna be what helps us make progress here." He clasped the book and looked directly at the boy. "Same goes for punishing yourself."

Chad laughed, despite how neither of them found that funny. "Why would I need to punish myself?" With his arms bent at the elbows, he held them out at his sides. "Look where I am."

"Hasn't stopped you." Adam pointed out, his voice at a whisper. "Even if we were to let you out, you'd still be in your own cage." Chad's eyes averted. It was the only way he could hide in plain sight. "I've done this, my son's done this, his friends have done this. We get so bogged down by our past mistakes we keep ourselves from growing. You feel useless because you don't see the use in _trying_."

"Look at everything we've tried that hasn't worked." Chad argued.

"A lot of it has worked. A lot of it has led somewhere. You just can't see it because you're _stuck_. If we stop recognizing what we've done… all we will do is regress. I don't want that for you." Adam was a few seconds from turning to leave the dungeon, but first he had one more thing to say. "And just because you're being stubborn doesn't mean you have me fooled. You don't want that for you, either."

* * *

Mal spent lunchtime in her tent on the carnival grounds, spray painting people's portraits. Since this was done during school hours, she didn't expect to see many students. (Other than the one helping her out.) Most of her subjects would see her again during magic class that afternoon.

"This is going great." Jay -who was acting as her assistant by making sure she never ran out of supplies despite all the traffic the tent was getting- told Mal. He wondered if he would jinx that by saying it.

"Yeah," The girl agreed. Her tone made it sound like she could hear his thoughts. Which was a bit unsettling, until she added: "apart from the fact that everybody who comes through here keeps trying to pay me."

"I don't think they understand the point of this challenge."

"I don't think they understand how tempting it is for me _not_ to say 'no charge'." Mal was sure she could put the money to good use, but this was about making people smile. Not making a profit.

The next customer to come in was younger than they were. An elementary school kid, with a cast on his leg. He wobbled as he walked because the boot his cast was in was much bigger than the one he wore on his other foot. He seemed content either way, and greeted Mal with a bright smile. "Can you make a portrait? Not for me, for those lovebirds." He pointed behind him at his parents.

"Sure." Mal agreed, "but you don't wanna make it a family portrait?" She would've thought Auradonians were into that sort of thing.

"Nah," The boy told her casually. "I wouldn't sit still enough."

Mal looked to the boy's parents, who nodded playfully in agreement.

While she worked and they sat as still as they could manage, the boy took in every inch of the place. Jay could tell he was happy to have a change of scenery, but wondered what he was doing at Auradon Prep in the middle of the afternoon.

"Shouldn't you be in school right now?" He whispered, so as not to disturb the others.

"Tomorrow." The boy replied reluctantly, looking Jay straight in the eye. "I tried to hold off as long as I could."

The older boy chuckled. "Oh, as soon as they saw you up on your feet again…"

"Yep." He hadn't adjusted his volume, but that's not what had Mal distracted. The young boy sighed suddenly, and told Jay: "I know it's not a bad thing. School. I just feel bad about going back."

"Why's that?" Jay asked, not sure why he didn't just drop the conversation there.

Especially when the boy looked at him like he already knew the answer. "'Cause I shouldn't be the only one up right now."

On that note, Mal was done with the portrait. The parents thanked her, and knew not to offer her payment when she simply slipped her spray paint covered hands into her pockets. When the family left the tent, Mal took a seat on the bench the adults had shared.

She couldn't stand to stand any longer. Her energy drained thanks to what she overheard. "I forget how much kids know." She said softly. "Even here."

Jay joined her on the bench. "Would you rather it be hidden?" If the attack had never made news, dealing with the aftermath would be tougher in his opinion. He wouldn't have known how many people wanted Carlos to pull through. "Everyone who knows him loves him. And even the people who don't, they know no innocent kid deserves that."

"Some things should stay hidden. But not this." The attack would not remain an unsolved case if this group had anything to say about it. "We're gonna tear the whole thing open. Find everyone responsible." She didn't even realize how much work was going into doing that.

"Yeah we are."

"But are _we_ actually doing enough?" She wondered aloud.

"With these challenges?"

"With everything. Our investigative work, our challenges, visiting Carlos in the hospital?"

For a moment, Jay didn't respond. He saw a shadow pass by the tent and stiffened until he saw that it was simply Evie coming to check up on them. "The good thing is we… figure out more we can do every day."

"Mal." Evie addressed her without even acknowledging Jay's presence. She stood up at the sound of her name. "Can I talk to you back at our dorm? It's… girl stuff."

Jay wondered what that meant, or if was even the truth of the matter, but remained sitting. "I'll watch the tent." He promised.

* * *

"I thought we were going to _our_ dorm." Mal said as she and Evie were en route to Jay's instead.

"Oh, good, then he did too." Evie explained, proving what she'd said was only an excuse to get the other girl to come with her. It sounded like she wanted to yell, but hadn't built up the strength.

"What?" Mal asked worriedly, not wanting another problem to add to the rapidly growing list. Evie did not respond. Instead she kept walking, but her walk looked more like a march.

The door was closed, but the Evil Queen's daughter proved prepared for that. She used a bobby pin to pick the lock.

"Wow, you haven't lost your touch." Mal said, in a failed attempted to cut the tension. Even then, Evie didn't say a word. Until the two of them crossed over the threshold into the empty room, and Maleficent's daughter grew tired of the silence. "Okay, are you gonna tell me what this is about?"

"I overheard Jay and Cadence talking this morning. She said he's regressing. And apparently she's been covering that up for him."

"Regressing." Mal echoed. "You don't mean…" She trailed off.

"Old habits die hard." Evie answered under a sigh.

The other girl wasn't fully sold on Jay slipping. "If he was stealing again, wouldn't we see the signs? Or, at least, see the stash?" Everything out in the open around the room was something Jay rightfully owned.

For a moment, neither of the girls moved. When Evie sighed a second time, she sounded like she was struggling to breathe. Mal watched as she crossed the room, crouched down and lifted up the end of the comforter on Carlos' bed. Validating her suspicions.

The floor beneath the bed was littered with random objects swiped from around campus. Including Ben's family's napkin rings, that were taken when the group studied together. And the stool from the library, that could barely fit in the small space.

"This is why he was sneaking out for those couple of nights before Fairy Godmother stopped him?" Mal asked, trying to wrap her head around it. In her confusion, she missed the fact that this had been going on even before the attack.

Evie's answer sounded like confirmation, even through a huff. "I guess to clear his head he needed to fill his pockets." She forcefully pulled the end of the comforter back down again.

Mal didn't exactly understand where this anger was coming from. Especially since it seemed like Evie understood Jay's logic. He stole to fill a void. "Let's just be glad he took stuff nobody missed, for the most part." Mal insisted, keeping her voice low. "He could probably put it back without anyone noticing." That last part was more of hope than a guess.

"If he even remembers where he got it all from." At first, Evie followed Mal's reasoning. It almost stopped her from being upset. Almost. "That's not the point, though. He was hurting way more than he admitted to any of us."

Mal didn't completely agree with that. "Well, he had to admit it to Cadence. If she found him out."

"So then it's our fault."

" _What_?" The real question was how Evie reached that conclusion. "It was easier for him to tell someone he doesn't know as well."

"That has nothing to do with _us_." Mal argued. It was Jay's decision.

"Why didn't he trust us?"

"Maybe breaking and entering has something to do with it." The girls turned to see Jay in the doorway.

"I thought you were watching the tent." Evie said.

"Jane took over. I thought you two were talking about _girl stuff_."

Rather than be angry with either of the others, Mal told Jay: "Evie was just worried about you. I didn't know to be. At least, not about this. I guess that's _my_ fault." In all this, everyone had their own distractions.

"Why would you confide in Cadence before coming to us?" Evie asked. And with that, the tallest person in the room suddenly seemed very small.

"You know about all that?"

"Yeah, we do." Mal answered. "And it's okay."

"No, it's not." Evie disagreed.

It felt wrong to, but Jay couldn't stop himself from trying to justify his actions. In a soft voice, he told the girls: "I was just doing what he wanted."

As Mal spoke, something sunk in for Evie. "Carlos wanted you to start _stealing_ again?" The argument made no sense to her, but all was clear for Evie.

"No." She turned toward Mal, not ready to look back at Jay again. "He wanted space. You said it yourself. He was in our dorm all the time…"

The words Mal spoke casually over a week ago had come back to haunt her. "Jay?" She said his name as if she wasn't sure who was standing in front of her.

Evie talked as if she just figured that out for herself. Her eyebrows were angled down and she spoke in an accusing tone. "How many times have you been to see Carlos?" Jay was the one who couldn't hold his gaze in that moment, Which was only fuel for Evie's fury. She crossed the floor to where he stood in a few quick steps. "How many times?!"

"...None." He couldn't yell to be heard over her. He hardly had any voice left. "Cadence always went for me. That was our deal."

Silence fell for a few seconds. Evie balled her hands into fists. And all though she took her frustrations out on him, he hardly felt a thing. She wasn't really trying to cause him physical pain. Her words hurt worse. "I hate you." Saying that brought her no sense of satisfaction.

Neither did Jay's response. "So does he."

Evie turned her head to look at Mal, who looked paler than usual and could hardly move. Finally, she said: "I'm not picking sides here. In a few hours, we all have somewhere to be. It's your choice whose beside you'll be at." She was addressing them both, but neither of them looked like they were listening. So, she tearfully repeated: "It's your choice." Then she walked out.

For a moment, no one spoke. Than Evie told Jay: "If you're not gonna be there for _him_ , you might as well not be there at all."

Jay had thought that himself a few times, but he had a whole list of people to be there for. And he was going to add to that list. The only difference today was that he wouldn't wait with the others.

* * *

Jane was shocked when Evie strode into magic class and took a seat next to her.

"Did you and Mal have a fight or something?"

That question made the blue-haired girl remember that she was the one to say there was no point in the group wasting energy on being upset with each other that morning. She'd gone back on her own word, and now she hardly knew how to respond. "No, we're fine. I just wanted a better seat for meeting all our new classmates. She's met most of them already."

She might've sold the lie better if she took the time to talk to anyone else. Mostly she took every opportunity to answer questions Fairy Godmother posed to the class.

Mal sat at the back, sketching the group before they were broken. She could only imagine the fracture the others put in their friendship was going to get worse. Her books were strewn out across the table, so it looked like she was taking serious notes.

When the bell rang, she wanted to be the first out the door. She turned to find Doug standing next to her, Though his eyes were darting around the room, until he spotted Evie.

"Whoa, I didn't even see ya there."

He shrugged innocently. "Happens." He looked down at the sketch, smiled, and said: "Nice job." He seemed especially pleased that he was included.

"I could've done better." With that, he knew she wasn't talking about what she put on paper.

His smile vanished, but he thought about how she'd helped him and brightened a bit. "I don't know what I missed, but I know we're gonna win this."

"I hope you're right," She replied. After he walked off, she packed up her stuff. In her haste, she failed to notice her bag was lighter than normal.

Evie was beaming when she caught sight of her boyfriend. He was equally happy to see her, but also confused. He addressed both girls at the table, then Evie on her own. "Hey. You wanna go over with me today?"

"Yeah." To avoid questioning, she added: "For a couple we don't spend as much time together as we should."

"Okay, well we have time today. Is there anything you wanna do before we leave?"

"How 'bout we go for a swim?"

"Extra practice, why didn't I think of that?" This was his way of agreeing, but she wished he hadn't phrased it that way. It made her mind wander to someone else who had practice at the same time. And she really didn't want to think about him. Especially with how she handled things.

"Wanna meet by the pool?"

"Sure." Doug answered.

"I should've just asked that in the first place."

"I don't mind the exercise." He assured, finding no fault in that. Evie waved to Jane and left promptly.

"See ya." That sounded like a simple goodbye, but the younger girl took it as a promise.

"Have fun swimming." Jane told him, like that was some kind of reward.

* * *

"Boys, before we head out on the field, I want you to know that practice is gonna go a little different today." The tourney team took this to mean that -instead of another inspiring speech- their coach had a warning to deliver.

"What do you mean?" Jay prompted from where he sat on the bench, though Coach Jenkins was about to elaborate anyway. The boy spoke as a way to keep up appearances. Something he'd done expertly well up until that afternoon.

"We have a prospective team member waiting for us out on the field, already suited up." The boys looked amongst each other, wondering why the man was being so vague. Though Jay thought he had no right to think that way with what he'd done. The coach continued talking. "I want you guys to run your drills and take time to explain things if you need to. But you have to promise me something."

The expressions in the teammates' eyes changed from curious to concerned. To try to calm tension, rather than act brave, Ben said: "Name it." He wanted to believe he and the others were up to the challenge the coach had for them.

"Don't go easy." It was important to truly test what this potential teammate could take. The boys nodded. Some still looked hesitant, but others -like Jay- just wanted to get out on the field already.

In recent days, practice seemed less and less fun than it used to be. But they powered through it, refusing to believe that that would always be the case.

And they were prepared to do the same that day, until they saw who awaited them when they got out of the locker room. " _Anxelin_?" Amir said incredulously.

She sent him a scrunched up face, since his surprise managed to morph her name into an insult. (At least it sounded that way to her.)

"Yeah, this is definitely gonna be a challenge for us." Akio answered. He only said so because, by not going easy on her, he was afraid he'd hurt her.

"Actually it's my challenge." She explained, proud of herself for not only coming up with it but following through. Since the boys had already made their promise, they had to help her rise to the challenge. By being competitors as fierce as she was.

And fierce she was indeed. All the boys caught on quickly to how much energy she had. It was as if Anxelin had no previous outlet for that energy. Like she'd saved her strength just for this game. And her level of strength surprised them all.

Because she got knocked down, a lot. Whether it was from a collision with another player, or because she took it upon herself to dive for the ball. And she always got back up again. More raring to go than before she fell.

Although Anxelin wasn't among the fastest players on the field -even with Carlos compromised, she could change direction quickly and that caught the boys off guard.

What surprised the others' most though, was her knowledge of the game. She'd studied rulebooks and playbooks extensively so that she would be prepared. So she had every play ran memorized ahead of time. And she she tried her hand at every position. Even though she wasn't equally skilled at each, she wanted to show the others what she could do. She also knew what moves were illegal, and how to get away with those that almost could be considered such. And she used every trick in her own book.

To the point where the boys not only could see Anxelin as their fellow teammate, they also counted themselves as her fans. And because of the situation everyone was dealing with, they made sure that she knew it.

"Welcome to the team, Anxelin." The coach announced as she brushed both sweat and dirt off her cheek. "Any requests about your jersey number?"

She hadn't really thought about what number she wanted. Only the one she didn't want. So, after she downed a swig of water, she answered: "Anything but 23."

* * *

Meanwhile, Doug and Evie met poolside. They didn't speak much, simply enjoying each others company. Evie knew all the motions, and went through them with ease. Doug looked at her with prideful eyes all the while. Practice was going swimmingly up until she suddenly ducked under the water. On purpose.

He went right after her, only to find her smiling below the surface. She was perfectly confident in her abilities. As was he, but he wanted to make sure she was safe.

Evie gave a beckoning wave of her hand, despite the fact that Doug was already headed her way.

He took her hand, hoping to take her above water again. She didn't budge, except to close her grip. She moved in closer to him, cupping his face with her free hand. In that second, he saw what was happening. And in the next second, he saw nothing. His eyes closed in acceptance of her kiss.

Skin touched skin as they moved in closer to each other. In that moment, they became a lot less tight-lipped, in spite of the secrets they were keeping for other people. The truths on the tips of their tongues would have to wait until they came up for air again.

All was silent around them, and they were comfortable with that. Their focus was set on nothing but the feeling of each other's smiles.

* * *

Lonnie couldn't think of a better place to challenge herself than the Auradon Animal Shelter. It cut into her hospital visit time. Instead of spending time in the waiting room before it was her turn to see Carlos, she was feeding dogs and cats along with other volunteers. And though she saw a lot of friendly faces, she didn't make any new friends.

That didn't really concern her, since Dude did. The dog had empathy for these other animals, since he'd been taking in as Auradon's Prep's campus mutt after he was found eating out of the dumpster. He knew all about humble beginnings. It must have been a comfort for the other dogs and cats, seeing that their futures could be just as bright.

Dude's new dog friend was mistaken for a drowned rat when she was found, barely mobile, in the rain. With fur so matted her eyes could barely be seen. The tiny thing was shivering, but now she practically danced with excitement.

The cat looked menacing, with one piercing green eye and an intimidating size. He purred like a motorboat though, especially in the company of the two dogs. And he didn't even mind baths, finding them relaxing. Which was fortunate, because the three made quite a mess of themselves while Lonnie took care of her other responsibilities. They were wearing each other's food because they playfully fought over it, and all were in need of a good scrub.

"Goodness, you guys are gonna make me late for my visit." Lonnie said, as she found a basin big enough for the three of them. "C'mon, climb in." They did as she calmly commanded. She cleaned them quickly and thoroughly.

Before leaving Dude in the care of the shelter employees for a change, she dressed the three in matching outfits once they were dry. Dude's friends sat on either side of him, with the number one stitched onto their capes. His had a zero. Lonnie snapped a picture and hashtagged it with 101Challenges,

* * *

It had officially been a week since Ben first went to visit Carlos, without the others. Realizing that made him remember that no one in the group was aware he went on his own the first time around. Curiosity weighed out guilt when he heard the lead investigator addressing Dr. Porter, and one of her team.

"You were right to guess this never hit him."

Ben stood, subconsciously following the voices.

"The fragments. Your team pieced them together and that's what you got?" Disbelief weighed the doctor's tone down.

"A second shell casing." Ben found the group just in time to see the evidence, being held out for Dr. Porter to examine.

"Technically the first." The investigator corrected. "This was found before the bridge."

Dr. Porter looked through the clear plastic bag, her eyes scanning the vein-like pattern she thought she had memorized by now. There was something off about it.

For the adults, it was another clue. Ben saw things differently, and couldn't help voicing his thoughts from where he stood in the doorway. "He wasn't blind-sided." The king nearly heard necks snap as the others turned to look at him. "He knew it was coming. He tried to get away." That had always been obvious to the woman, but to see it sink in for the boy was like watching him get pulled underwater.

"He fought then. And he won't stop now." Ben had been sure of that when this all started. Even with the signs of Carlos' strengthening condition, it was tough to see another day where he wouldn't open his eyes. Where he couldn't. The doctor turned back to the investigators. As much as she wanted to reassure the king, she couldn't allow herself to lose her train of thought. "Has the team done a comparison of the markings on both the shell casings?" She was answered back with shaking heads. No one saw a reason to. No one but her. "That's our next move."

* * *

Jay's absence from the waiting room that afternoon went without comment, as he wasn't the only one. Only when the group sat down for stories at Dr. Porter's house after visits did Audrey ask about his whereabouts. Making Mal and Evie realize that neither one of them had spilled his secret.

"Jay didn't… feel good." Mal told Audrey. Evie wondered how he could after the way she spoke to him.

"So he went home right after visiting hours." The Evil Queen's daughter answered.

"You mean he's sick?" Audrey questioned.

"He seemed fine at practice." Ben recalled, suspecting there was something Mal and Evie weren't saying.

"He's just tired." Mal replied, since practice could be draining.

"Should I hold off on telling my story then?" Lonnie wondered aloud.

"No, we can record it." Mal decided. "Just in case it makes something click for him."

"Ooh, I'll take care of that." Audrey offered, happy to do so. Any chance to document the adventures -and misadventures- she and her friends had was one she made it her mission to take. That was what gave her the inspiration for her challenge: starting her own AuraTube channel.

"Thanks, Audrey." Evie said. She nodded, prepared to press record.

"Lonnie, before you start…" Ben began. "There's something everyone should know." Now that he knew about the second shell casing, his guilt about his own secret had circled back. He could tell his girlfriend and her best friend were keeping another secret, but that was because it wasn't theirs to tell. "I first went to visit Carlos a week ago."

"Exactly a week ago?" Doug asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes." Ben confirmed.

"You went without us?" Audrey asked, looking as surprised as the others. Apart from Dr. Porter, who already knew that. And Mal, who was more affected by this than Jay's secret.

No sooner than she thought that, did Evie say: "That's not so bad."

"Well, no." Lonnie agreed. But only partway. She turned to face Ben. "Still, you could've said."

"Jay didn't go at all."

"Evie…" Mal said.

Ben wasn't prepared for the turn the conversation took, and he wasn't the only one.

"That's impossible." Audrey began. "We all saw-"

"As much as we needed to." Evie interrupted. "He didn't give us a reason to think otherwise so we didn't."

Despite seeing his girlfriend's side in this, Doug looked like he felt bad for Jay. Audrey found that an appropriate reaction for the 'apprentice of stealth'. He had his glance set on Dr. Porter. "You had to have been aware of this." He realized.

While the woman nodded, Evie told her boyfriend: "It's fine. She didn't wanna compromise the investigation."

"This is true." She admitted. "But I also kept quiet in an effort to preserve the friendship."

"I get why you're mad." Audrey said to Evie. And since the girls' attention was on each other, neither of them noticed Doug staring at his hands. Which were shaking again. "If Jay was honest about it-"

"I'm pretty sure I'd still be mad." Evie answered. "Visiting Carlos was something we all agreed on. We weren't split on that. It's not like with Chad."

"Maybe Jay will stop distancing himself… now that we all know." Dr. Porter supposed. But what this group agreed on was to help."

"And he has in his own way." Lonnie reasoned. The woman didn't nod in affirmation. She had always respected the other's opinions. They could be divided in that sense. But they could not abandon their cause. She hoped Jay would be back to tell his story the following day.

The following minute, Lonnie was telling hers. "This was… right before practice." She recalled. "Right before Carlos left for his follow up interview."

 _Lonnie was almost done with her pre-practice power walk around campus when she heard talking coming from Jay and Carlos' dorm room. Since she only heard one voice, she assumed Carlos was talking to Dude._

 _When she walked past, she had her assumption confirmed. She stopped in the doorway for a few seconds to see Carlos trying to coax Dude into his cage. The dog was reluctant, but compliant nonetheless._

 _Carlos frowned. "I'm sorry, Dude. It's not Take Your Dog to Work Day. Actually, I don't think I can have Take Your Dog to Work Day until I actually get the job."_

 _Lonnie giggled, giving up her spot. Carlos wasn't startled by this. Dude's demanor must've given her away before she did._

 _When Carlos turned to face her, she held her hands up a little and said: "Sorry. You guys are so attached at the hip. I didn't even think you owned a cage."_

" _I don't like to use it." Carlos told her, looking uncomfortable just talking about it._

 _Lonnie could feel her throat tighten when she realized that he saw the cage as a smaller scale version of the island prison where he grew up._

" _If you want, I can take him down to the field." She offered. "He might not always have my eyes on him, but someone'll be watching. The band usually stays by the bleachers during practice." He knew that. She only said it because she was trying to convince him that Dude would be safe while he was gone._

 _She got her answer when the latch opened, and Dude came bolting out of the cage. Luckily, Carlos was fast. Power walking after the dog wouldn't have been much help._

" _Whoa," Carlos said, blocking Dude's path and picking him up. "You can't go running off like that. You could get hurt."_

 _Dude whimpered, as if to apologize. Lonnie saw his legs kick a bit, like he wanted to be let down._

 _If Carlos noticed, he ignored it. She couldn't blame him. He had somewhere to be. "My friends will take good care of you." Carlos promised, passing the dog over to Lonnie._

" _Yeah, we will." She agreed, watching Carlos brush dog hair off his black dress pants. "Wow, that's weird." She couldn't help thinking out loud._

" _What is?" He asked her, going pale with worry like whatever was out of place would guarantee that this follow up interview would be a failure._

 _She whisked his worry away with five words. "I can't see your legs." She said, with a contagious little laugh. "Pants, that's another thing I didn't think you owned."_

" _The museum might reconsider offering me a job if I show up in shorts today" He reasoned, reaching for a folder with one hand and a sports bag with the other. "but I hope they don't mind me changing in the bathroom right after."_

 _She felt both impressed and concerned by how much work he made for himself. "Cutting it close there, huh?"_

 _Carlos nodded. "I might make it back for a little bit of practice. I might as well be dressed for it."_

" _Best of luck with the follow up." Lonnie wished, following him out the door._

 _He replied with: "Best of luck with your routine."_

"He was worried Dude might get hurt..." That's all Mal took from that story.

Telling it, Lonnie realized something. "And Dude was looking out for _him_." Not just being restless. "He was trying to take him somewhere."

"Or to someone." Doug reasoned. The conclusion he reached gave the others chills. "He was trying to scope out the threat. And it was close. On school grounds, even a day after the scavenger hunt."

* * *

"You could've told us before." Mal said flatly, on the walk back from Dr. Porter's house. She was in no mood to be sitting on the back of Ben's scooter with her arms around him at the moment.

"I know."

"So why didn't you? You didn't think we could handle it? You can't tell me it's about what happened with Jay today, you didn't even know that was going on." When Ben hesitated in answering, Mal got a little angrier. " _Did_ you?"

"No, of course not. If I had I… I would've been honest sooner."

Mal still couldn't wrap her head around why he hadn't been. "Why _did_ you go to see Carlos on your own?"

"Because… if I couldn't handle it, I didn't want any of you seeing him so soon. And-"

"It's not your choice to make." Mal interrupted. "I don't _care_ if you're the king… we were his friends first." She wasn't saying so to be disrespectful. She was saying so to show Ben that he hadn't been thinking like Carlos' friend. "Do you think we've never seen him hurt before?"

"I _know_ you have." He countered, curbing a sob. "But here…"

"Here's not so different. We've seen that. Even before this."

"I was supposed to change that." Ben said, sounding disappointed himself.

"Yeah, but you can't control everything. Except your own actions. And a week ago, you… you chose wrong." If she was honest, she thought Jay chose wrong as well. Telling him might have driven him even further away. Her anger dissolved as she went on to say: "But, I mean, it was a week ago. You know better now."

He shook his head, thinking she was giving him too much credit. "I knew better when I did it. I know that kids have to learn lessons more than once sometimes, but shouldn't I be the exception to that rule?"

"No," Mal scoffed, though she was smiling. "you shouldn't be the exception to any rule. You're _one of us_. Just accept it."

"Okay." Ben agreed, smiling back.

* * *

Back at the hospital, Dr. Porter was looking over the comparisons of the designs on the shell casings. At an increased size, it was obvious to her that they differed. They branched off in different directions, but only in certain places. Similar, but not the same. Her eyes followed the paths, trying to figure out where they led.

That thought sparked something, and she looked over at the improvised route Jafar had drawn up for he and the Evil Queen's search. Then she looked at gift Cadence had brought in for Carlos. And it clicked. She cut through the silence her team was working in when she spoke. They'd been keeping careful watch of Carlos' climbing waves, but jumped in surprise at the sound of the doctor's voice.

"It's a map." She said, gesturing to the gown that covered the mark that had yet to get back its glow. "The scar is a map."

* * *

 _The number 23 was seen as something to get away from. It was put in a place only Carlos would take notice of, and he doubted that was because of what he told Jay when the older boy walked him home. It didn't seem lucky. It seemed like an omen._

 _It got Carlos away from the mansion, but he didn't go very far. He wound up retracing his steps, and went up to the treehouse like he'd done before he made cookies for his friends with the help of Maleficent's spellbook._

 _Something there seemed out of place, because it had been added._

 _Wind chimes that were once gold beneath the rust, that made no noise because they were laid down flat. And tangled between them was a pair of blue shoelaces. The tips of them coated in kicked up mud._

 _Carlos hung the chimes up and tentatively pulled at the strings, and what he heard could hardly be called a song. Just two notes, because the way the strings were tied didn't allow for the chimes to move any other way._

 _They were stuck, and they seemed content like that. He couldn't help but be reminded of himself. Carlos didn't really know where he was going. He had no real plan._

 _And it felt wrong to be happy here alone…_

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! I'd say we've reached the halfway point, and I'm gonna have to kick it up another notch soon. I'll update ASAP! =]**


	11. Decisions and Destinations

**It's been so long, my lovely readers! I imagine those of you who stuck with me will have to reread to get your bearings on what's going on in the story. Take your time. Clearly, I sure did. I've known how this story ends the day I started writing it, so figuring out how much of a middle it has is the tough part. This chapter has one flashback, one limbo scene, and two Isle scenes. One of which goes into the next morning. (I took out one of the hints dropped here to avoid clue overload.) Next chapter is definitely a game changer.**

 **This chapter is dedicated to Pinkcrazyness, morrismsteph, GenderqueerWriter, Mangalover97, Rose teniza, Moony and Sunny, LunaOlcaRaca, xxKKxZKxx, rebekahpsweatman81, Joemie1092 and MikaelsonChika. Enjoy!**

 **I do not own Descendants**

"I know you just woke up," Doug told Jane as he stood outside her empty dorm before class that Wednesday morning. "but whatever you're thinking of doing… sleep on it." This was almost an order.

She answered him as if that had no affect on her. "So you got it?" Her usually anxious expression was replaced with something more like excitement.

"...Yeah." Doug looked down the hall to make sure no one was coming. Then he reached into his backpack. Regret painted his face as he handed over Mal's spellbook.

"You really are the apprentice of stealth." She thought aloud, before re-entering her room. Doug sighed to himself as he heard her find a hiding spot for what he'd stolen. He was ready to walk off when the door opened again.

Jane looked more like herself. Overwhelmed by what she had yet to try. "Thank you." He could only nod in reply. Which showed her that -though he understood where she was coming from- he felt guilty about how they were going about it. Doug would rather not know the details for that very reason.

She went back inside. Her back pressed against the door as she looked over at the spot the spellbook now occupied. Repressing a sigh of her own.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mal sat above where she found Jay's secret stash of stolen items, to offer him a piece of advice. He looked disappointed to see only her there, occupying the spot where his roommate should be. "You should've known Evie was gonna take this the hardest. She was his first friend."

He hadn't forgotten. "I know that. But… we're all handling this in different ways. I was just… I thought I was doing the right thing." He kept his challenge a secret because he knew the others wouldn't agree on that.

"It's nice that you visit other people." Mal said, surprising him. "I saw how happy you made that kid who took his parents to the tent. I saw how easy it was for him to talk to you." That surprised _her_. "And knowing that you did that for other people? People who… might not get the kind of support he did?" There was such a thing as Auradonian orphans, after all. "It's-" After having a day to think about it, she found these acts of kindness so amazing she couldn't get the words out.

"It's the kind of thing Carlos would do." Jay cut in.

"Is that how you got the idea?" Mal asked.

He shook his head. "I saw the crowd in the waiting room. Knew they were all there for Carlos. Figured he wouldn't miss me."

Though she countered that, her tone remained gentle. "What if you're exactly what he's missing?"

This hopeful sentiment only added to Jay's guilt. The thought that his absence was what kept Carlos in a coma. He tried to hide that by saying: "I doubt I mean as much to him as you and Evie do." Even the AK's seemed to have a better standing in Carlos' circle of friends.

"Well, stop doubting." Mal ordered. "'Cause I know you do."

"I can't make up for what I didn't do. Not unless you've got a spell to rewind time."

"If I did, I would've used it long before today." The slight break in her voice made him go silent. "You're not getting that time back, but… you can spend the time you have now differently. Split it between visiting Carlos and adding names to that list of yours. You're a long way from 101."

All she was asking was for him to take ten minutes out of the day to see Carlos in the hospital. That one favor to her could help mend Jay's friendship with Evie, and might even be the reason Carlos woke. That's what Mal was hoping would happen.

But Jay worried it would make no difference at all.

* * *

"So I'm guessing we're not here on business?" Diego asked as he eyed the sign for the salon creepily and cleverly named _Curl Up & Dye_. He trusted the leader of his newly-formed pack, but didn't think a beauty treatment would do anything to help their investigation.

"Actually, we are." Freddie informed as the youngest of the group caught onto how.

"We're following Anthony's lead." Niraya concluded, setting the cat she carried down. Beelzebub had been growing restless lately. "From the treehouse."

By the look on his paling face, he'd gathered that. But knowing the reason for being there didn't make entering the establishment any easier. "So we're takin' the hands-on approach then." Isle kids hardly knew any other way to be.

"It's more like the head-on approach." Freddie corrected, failing to sound encouraging. "We won't go in without you." Even though she and Diego had shown their faces there before, she said this to assure Anthony he wouldn't face this alone.

"It's for the cause." He reminded himself in a whisper, as his steps fell into the rhythm of a march. He led the way in.

Only to be greeted by the sight of his cousin sweeping the floor of an empty shop. All the fear he felt subsided then.

The girl went about her work, humming songs to herself. When all the hair was in one pile -drained of color and life- she threw it away. Turning back around, she saw the others watching her.

She seemed startled, but beyond that had no reason to feel threatened. Yet.

"Dizzy, are you here all by yourself?" Anthony asked, his voice still at a whisper. The gears in the group's head were turning as the girl answered.

It took her a few seconds, as she wasn't used to being addressed by him directly. "That happens a lot." She said this as if that was the way of the Isle, but that wasn't what the others were getting at.

"What he means is, how long have you been here by yourself?" Freddie revised. Which was true. The words just didn't come out that way. He'd been so convinced he was willingly walking into a confrontation with Lady Tremaine. Finding out otherwise took some adjustment.

Her absence had lasted so long that her granddaughter had to give it some thought. "For about… almost two weeks now." The others exchanged looks as if her estimation made something definite for them.

Diego spoke up then. "That can't just be about pushing work off on you."

"It can't?" Dizzy was confused as to why. She adjusted her glasses as she added: "She's never needed a reason for me to watch the shop before."

"She's hiding out." Niraya said, wishing she knew where. As good as her ears were, she hadn't caught wind of that.

"Which means she knows something." Diego didn't specify that he meant about the attack.

Freddie nodded. "Or she's done something."

"If _that's_ true, bringing this to light won't just mean disappointing my family." Anthony realized. "It'll mean betraying it."

"Does this mean you're backing out?" Diego wondered aloud.

"Lady Tremaine isn't exactly the kinda family you should be proud to have." Freddie said.

Anthony nodded slowly. He didn't need to be told this. He sighed silently, closing his eyes. When they opened again, his focus was set on his cousin. "But Dizzy is."

She couldn't help smiling. That was hands down the nicest thing he'd ever said to her.

The decision to bring Dizzy into the fold was a unanimous one. It happened without deliberation and wasn't just about increasing numbers. She needed to be protected if it turned out they were right.

This shop was Lady Tremaine's alibi. And the little bit of information Dizzy disclosed threw that alibi out the window. Dizzy knew this, and she accepted it. Hearing the others talk about what they thought and discovered in the days since the attack, she hoped joining them would be her way off the island. She felt that was selfish to say, so she kept it to herself.

Instead, she asked: "Is there anything else I can help you guys with?" As she spoke, Beelzebub was exploring the shop and wound up with a few stray drops of dye in her fur.  
The others pounced to pick her up, protective instincts kicking in. She stayed surprisingly still while they washed her. Seeing the colors swirl in the water gave the group an idea.

As it turns out, stopping at the salon did mean a bit of a break. Each of the Isle investigators took a seat in front of Dizzy's design book, sifting through it and picking out accessories to wear. Choosing colors took some pushing from Anthony, but eventually, each of his fire-forged friends saw his side of things.

Diego chose spiked bracelets that went stacked up around his wrists. Three on one and two on the other.

Anthony looked at laces to tie up his sleeves with. Each formed X shapes reminiscent of crossbones.

Niraya picked out rings, one for each finger on her right hand.

Freddie let Dizzy streak her hair, the gray highlights that tied her to her father gone when the dye job was done.

The colors carried through each design represented who they were fighting for. Black, white, red, light blue and yellow.

* * *

Before lunch, Jay listened to the recording of Lonnie's story. There was one detail he picked up from it that he felt needed to be discussed. He didn't want to wait until after visits were over for the day to have that discussion.

At the table, no one was paying him much attention. And it wasn't that they were all outright ignoring him. They just had other things on their mind. Evie, for one, had learned that a tag for one of her designs had been found inside a house where the mail had piled up. The neighbors were questioned, and knights knew the owner wasn't someone who had gone on vacation, but someone who was just _gone_. Hiding out, they were certain, on the Isle of the Lost.

She was relaying this information to Doug, and he listened intently. The two were holding hands under the table, much like the other couples present. None of them had much to say, though Ben was thinking of making another proclamation. Something in response to the events that had taken place.

Audrey sent Jane a reassuring glance, having learned what she was planning earlier that morning. Though, not in detail. As Jane put it, the more she knew, the more trouble she'd be in.

Dude was circling Lonnie's feet while she debated dropping scraps for him to eat. She fed him regularly, so she wasn't sure if he would view the offerings as snacks or a painful reminder of his past.

Jay hadn't touched his food, thinking it was more important to get his story out of the way first. "Guys…" Everyone's glance shifted to him, almost immediately. "Based on what I heard, Lonnie thinks that _she_ was the last one to see Carlos before he got attacked. But I was."

With that, glances were exchanged around the table. "Is that why you didn't wanna see him?" Doug asked, trying to understand.

Jay didn't confirm that, but he did offer clarification. "I'm gonna tell my story now. So you know why."

This prompted Audrey to record again. So Dr. Porter would have all the parts of the story. "Whenever you're ready."

Jay wondered why that saying couldn't have been applied to him visiting Carlos. Though he knew that if no one had found out about the deal he made with Cadence, he would've never been ready.

" _Any particular reason you kidnapped me to the kitchen?" Carlos asked in a dry tone. It was as if he didn't want to know the answer and only cared about getting to his follow up interview. He'd been on his way out the door when Jay pulled him into the kitchen, which was empty aside from the two of them._

" _Talk to me." Jay's plea came out sounding like a demand._

 _That earned him an eyebrow raise from the younger boy. "I could've sworn I just heard my voice." For extra effect, Carlos looked over his shoulder as if someone else might be standing there._

 _Jay let out a groan, but knew that would do nothing to help him get an answer. So he asked for one outright. "What did I do wrong?"_

" _Nothing." Carlos said this casually, but not casually enough to convince Jay he was telling the truth._

" _I must've done something wrong."_

 _The calm tone Carlos kept started to make Jay's skin crawl. Especially since he looked like he wanted to scream. "Why do you think that?"_

 _With that, Jay's blood boiled. "Because now the only thing you do in our dorm is SLEEP!"_

 _Carlos nodded as if that was how it was supposed to be. "That's what a dorm is for."_

 _That had to be an excuse. He never looked at it like that before._ " _I HAVE to be the problem. You don't mind being alone with anyone else!"_

 _Instead of answering that, Carlos did something he was used to doing. He used a tactic the Isle had instilled in him. He deflected, purely out of fear. "It sounds like you want me to be mad. But I'm not." He had a lot flooding his mind but tried to keep those thoughts from coming out of his mouth. It worked, for the most part. "Why would I be mad at you for doing what you always do?" He hadn't realized he let that slip until he saw Jay's face drop._

 _He wished he would've come up with a better response. "...What?"_

" _I just… figured out how to deal with it." Carlos explained, though it didn't look like he wanted to._

" _Why's this something you have to deal with?" Jay asked. Unlike Carlos, he wasn't saying more than he planned to. He was saying less. Whatever this was, he didn't want Carlos dealing with it by himself._

" _It just is." That simple answer didn't satisfy._

" _Nothing ever 'just is'!" Jay was screaming with sad eyes. It was enough to get Carlos to stop sounding so content with the way things were.  
_

 _For the first time that day, Jay heard hurt in Carlos' voice. Hurt and acceptance._ _"This time it has to be. I don't get the point of spelling out the obvious. I used to hate that you didn't see it. Now I think it's better you don't." He didn't see any hope for change._

 _Jay remembered what that felt like, and he hated it._

 _He wanted to object. He wanted to tell Carlos he was wrong, even though he still felt clueless about the whole thing. He wanted to, but he didn't get the chance.  
_

" _I gotta go." Carlos told him. "You should get to practice." Before he left, he let something else slip. "Though I don't know why you need it. All of life's a game to you, anyway."_

Though everyone looked equally stunned, the king was the first to speak after the story was told. " _That's_ the last thing he said to you?" Ben didn't think Carlos capable of sounding so harsh.

Jay nodded slowly. His tone was soft. "The worst part is, I proved him right. Went back to doing what I always do." To emphasize this, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the napkin rings he'd stolen from Ben's castle. He took them back without a word.

Lonnie made a comment then. "You were trying to fill a void. You even thought I knew about it, didn't you?" That would explain his reaction when she asked if he found anything good while out on his walks past curfew.

"Carlos kept me from stealing. Everyone else could break their own habits. I needed him here, but it just felt selfish. Like I only wanted him back so he could keep my nose clean for me. And he didn't wanna see me anyway. So I just kept my distance. Every day I didn't go I wondered if that's all it was. If Carlos gave up on me 'cause he was tired of having to keep me out of trouble. But it's not like I can ask." Faces fell, as the others thought Jay meant he couldn't pose the question as long as Carlos was comatose. But it hurt worse to hear the truth. "I already tried." Even when Carlos was conscious, he avoided the conversation.

Jay was done talking, but his words hung in the air. Which made Mal realize something. "You're asking _us_?"

He'd figured out this much on his own: "Maybe I'm the only one who doesn't know."

He watched as Mal looked over at Evie. Though neither of them said anything, the look in the eyes had him sure he'd missed something. Something major.

"Even if that's true," Jane began, getting Jay's full attention. "and even if we had a guess… this was between you and Carlos. So it's not our place to say."

All that told Jay was there was no getting out of this hospital visit. Not that he was still looking for a way.

* * *

In Mal and Evie's last class of the day, they were allowed to pick the topic of discussion. Evie recognized that her best friend possessed more innate magic, so she let her choose.

"Shared dreams?" Mal suggested. It came out as a question since she still hadn't mastered her own. With no way to navigate them, she couldn't use them to her advantage and help wake Carlos.

Fairy Godmother stood at the board in quiet shock. "You have that ability?"

"Ben and I." Mal clarified.

"It's very rare." The woman informed. "Kind of a lost art."

"Isn't _all_ magic a lost art?" Evie questioned. "Since it just recently came out of retirement?"

"Yes." Evie had a point, but still didn't see why shared dreams were such a big deal. Her teacher had to clear that up. "But it either takes a very strong connection… or a very strong influence."

"That explains why I was seeing Ben in my dreams before I even left the Isle."

"You two _are_ practically soulmates." Evie agreed.

She wanted to smile at this, but a haunting realization stopped her. "How does it work for people who aren't?"

"There's no written record of how in Auradon." Fairy Godmother was disappointed to have to deliver that news. "All that's known for sure is those not naturally connected use spells or potions to implant… messages in those they reach."

"Magical mind control?" Essentially, that's what Evie's teacher was saying. The silence that followed her question confirmed it.

Mal didn't understand. "If the attackers are using that, why did they need to steal your magic?"

"Because theirs isn't strong enough." Evie reasoned. "If it was, their plans would've worked the first time."

Fairy Godmother gave a nod. "Whoever attempted to mirror my magic was reckless. Combining spells can have drastic consequences."

"So we've seen." Mal said darkly.

"I don't just mean for Carlos. The caster could suffer as well."

* * *

Belle watched as her husband frantically scribbled down his thoughts, trying to capture them all in ink before they left his head. The state of his notebook was a sad one, as he'd torn out pages Chad had written on in order to do side-by-side comparisons. With so much information, he should have looked satisfied to be closer to the truth. Instead, he just looked defeated.

She was about to ask why, when he got up and left the room without a word. No doubt headed for the dungeon. He looked back as he left. Appreciative that his wife continued to support him in this, though she didn't side the same.

Chad looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps, anticipation hidden in his exhausted expression. "I feel like we're right back where we started." Adam reported.

Chad looked less disappointed and more curious, extending his open hand. When the book was placed in his palm, he looked at the last note recorded: _The attack was some upscale EVIL SCHEME to them._

"No," At first, the former king thought he was disagreeing with him. But his tone was more delicate than dismissive. "this is good. I think it means the criminals were taking cues from the kids."

"Kids." Adam echoed, trying to wrap his head around that. "The VKs?"

Chad nodded. "What they did made history. For Auradionans it… _broke ground_." The words felt weird on his tongue. "Bridged the gap. But for people on the Isle, it was the ultimate act of rebellion."

"So what you're saying is that _all this_ was an act of rebellion by Auradonian criminals? In response to my son's proclamation? Then why target the attack toward the VKs?" The idea had been Ben's in the first place, the others just reluctantly agreed to it.

"Because driving Ben out of Auradon wouldn't accomplish anything. He probably would've gone to the Isle voluntarily, to bring over _more_ VKs." His look of disgust wasn't aimed toward those hopefuls. He was showing that he caught onto the attackers' logic.

"So, what, the plan was to scare the four we have here into going back to their _proper_ place?" In trying to think like the attackers, Adam was scaring himself. This was where his son's friends belonged. Why couldn't everyone accept that? "Starting with who they thought was weakest?" He curbed a sob so he could continue. "And if they thought Carlos was so weak, why send four people after him?"

Chad surprised himself with how he responded: "Symmetry." It was frightening to see his eyes light up while analyzing this, but he couldn't help it. Something clicked, the way it never had while he was in class. He hurried through an explanation for Adam, who was looking at him like he just backslid. He started talking with his hands, so the book fell from them. "This is what you get when you cross veteran villains with amateur Auradionian criminals. It has to have some sort of style." The way Chad saw it, trying to earn style points was what kept other evil plans from succeeding. He didn't say so, but he was glad for that.

"So, each Auradonian who carried out this plan… is a counterpart for one of the VKs?"

Chad gave another nod. "Does that mean that if we figure out what roles they played, we'll know how to find them?"

Adam sure hoped so. He tried to keep calm as he thought aloud. "Well, we can assume that the goblin played messenger. Being from the Isle."

"And he would need a translator." Chad reasoned, raising his eyebrows. In order to carry out this plot, the Auradonians were ironically forced to work with a former Isle inhabitant. "More gap-bridging." That role sounded like the one representing Carlos, as it took charisma to manage.

"Plus some sort of alchemist to figure out the spell."

Chad's head tilted in confusion. "I thought alchemists were more science than magic though."

This wasn't the time for insistent terminology, and yet Adam couldn't help arguing. "What _would_ you call it in a place where magic's been retired for two decades?"

"Yeah, okay. Alchemist. Sure. Who else?"

It was debatable whether the alchemist was meant to be Mal's counterpart, or Evie's. Mal did cast spells, but Evie was a whiz at chemistry. Adam recalled how the Auradon public likely only knew the VK's by reputation. And Mal was the descendant of someone regarded as the evilest villain. So she probably matched up with the most brutal of the bunch. "Even if the alchemist understood the way ballistics work on paper, that wouldn't qualify them to be the shooter. That just leaves one."

Chad heard the news. Either from Adam, or the TV broadcasts. He knew who was left. "The guy who scoped everyone out." He was stealthy, like Jay. But not stealthy enough, as he'd been caught on tape _and_ in print.

"The Rogue." Adam agreed, striking a nerve. He watched as Chad mouthed the word back to him, speaking more toward the dungeon floor before he looked up again. His face was horror-stricken, and that expression was contagious. "Chad, what is it?"

His answer wasn't directed at Adam. "This is no time to be going rogue…"

"Where have you heard that before?"

The teen couldn't place _where_ exactly, but the name Adam had given the 'scoper' sounded so familiar because it had been used to scold someone at the crime scene. "From one of the other attackers. "The plan was twisted, but I don't think it was supposed to be so violent."

"The real rogue just made it that way." Adam concluded. "Changed the plan." By carrying out their own.

Chad remembered something else. Another random line of dialogue he didn't know where to place in the confrontation with the criminals. He couldn't even recall who'd spoken it. But he had to say something.

"Adam…" That was an effective way of getting the attention he didn't realize he still held. He'd never addressed the former king by name before. "I think one of them was trying to kill Carlos." It almost ended up that way, they both knew that. But it sounded to Chad like that had been someone's intention. Like they saw no point in beating some lesson into the poor kid's brain. Especially since they didn't see Carlos as a kid, but as some little devil. So instead they aimed to beat his brains out. "They talked about sending him back to hell..."

* * *

"The reason I hired Carlos was because I was amazed by his eagerness to learn despite how smart he clearly comes across as. Our exhibits breathe life into what's printed in the history books, and he recognized and appreciated that." The museum curator spoke into the camera Audrey was holding. "I first met him during a tour and his eyes lit up at the visuals. When the presenters talked, he was hanging on every word. He embodied the ideal museum visitor. All the staff felt proud to do what we do that day. It made us feel important." The videographer's sad smile in response reflected how Carlos specialized in making others feel like they mattered.

"We knew when he showed up for an interview that we'd at the very least have a good talk. When he answered my questions, I knew he had a clear understanding of his responsibilities, but I also could tell he was overwhelmed. Like he didn't know if he could handle it because he had no experience." Isle kids were encouraged to scheme rather than to dream. "He was our youngest interviewee, but he was also the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic. So we asked him back."

Audrey couldn't help thinking that if Carlos had let his lack of confidence get the better of him, he would've gone to practice that day. And with such a crowd around, maybe the attack wouldn't have happened.

The curator took notice of her pained expression, but continued talking. "When we spoke again, it was like he'd convinced himself he wasn't qualified. But then I asked him why he interviewed in the first place. And he told me that he wanted to be a part of Auradon history. I couldn't help laughing because I thought he already was. One of the first ever transfer students from the Isle to attend Auradon Prep. Pretty monumental, right? Unprecedented. And he said: 'As appreciative as I am for that, it was something that was decided for me.'"

Knowing his reason, neither of them could help getting misty-eyed. He finally knew what he wanted, and he was kept from it.

The curator spoke directly to thr camera then. "Carlos, you may think you have yet to make your mark on the world. By the looks of the crowd in the waiting room, I don't agree with that. You've touched kids' hearts and made adults rethink somethings about how their world works. I'd say that's a good start."

* * *

After recording, Audrey returned to the waiting room in line with Mal, who had just gotten done with visiting. Lonnie was just arriving from the shelter, as everyone wanted to support Jay as he made his first visit with Carlos.

The girls noticed that the still unnamed invention was playing softly since the TV was turned off, but he had tuned the music out. Until he got to his feet, accompanied by the sound of a hauntingly familiar song. Played on glockenspiel.

Jane gasped, out of surprise but not shame. She was looking in the direction of where the music was coming from, but everyone else had their eyes on Doug. They all recognized it to be Chad's arrangement of _A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes_.

"Why would you put this on here?" Mal asked. She knew that Doug didn't side against Chad in this, but the action seemed cruel.

" _I_ didn't." The assurance in his tone was emphasized by his bewildered expression. "Carlos must have."

* * *

Jay's usual approach to hospital visits wouldn't work this time. He doubted his mere presence wouldn't do the trick to wake Carlos, so simply sitting and listening was out of the question. Yet silence fell while he tried to gather his thoughts, mindful he had half the time to voice them.

A minute went by without anything surfacing other than a groan of frustration.

He was already on his feet, and staring at them. Afraid to look in Carlos' direction despite how much he'd healed. In that moment, shifting his glance seemed to be his only shot of breaking his silence.

He stepped closer to the younger boy's bedside and mustered up the courage to take in the damage. It was all so unfair.

Take away the IV's and machines and Carlos looked perfectly healthy and at peace. And maybe he felt that way, and wasn't in any rush to wake up. Maybe he had no idea how much everyone was hurting, including himself.

"I did do something wrong." Jay admitted, his voice barely audible. "I _am_ wrong, for leaving you like this." The more he spoke, the clearer he sounded. There wasn't confidence in his tone, but he was no longer quieted by his shame. "Maybe that was what bothered you. Maybe when you were around me… you felt alone." Only silence answered, and Jay felt deserving of it.

If Carlos could hear him, he had no choice but to listen. So the older boy's honesty wouldn't hit any faults. "I made tourney my world and dragged you into it. The first safe thing I found, I just clung to it." Some might see 'safe' as an ironic way to describe a contact sport. But Isle life had prepared him for it. "It was built for it. You were too, it's just that no one ever bothered to tell you. "You _are_ that strong, Carlos."

Jay watched intently for any sort of recognition. Any sign of Carlos' increasing consciousness. A deeper breath, the slightest turn of a smile. Nothing. Burning tears brimmed Jay's eyes. Instead of letting them fall, he just got louder. "I know you said you weren't mad at me, but… I think you should be. I really messed up, and I'm sorry." He wasn't sure when, but his hands went from resting at his side to spread evenly on the side of the bed. Holding him up while those tears came down. "I let you get lost in the crowd. I wanted all this attention, and you just wanted-"

Jay cut himself off, realizing what he was about to say. His mouth seemed to be working faster than his brain, but that didn't mean the conclusion he reached was wrong. "I see it now," Jay said as his cheeks began to burn along with his eyes. "but I don't understand. Especially after how I acted. Why…" When he trailed off again, it sounded like he couldn't explain nor forgive his actions. In actuality, he was attempting to pose a question to someone he thought incapable of answering. "Why would you want _me_?"

Jay's blurred focus was on Carlos' closed eyes, so he didn't detect any moment. Until the younger boy's fingertips brushed against the back of his hand.

Aside from letting out a soft gasp, Jay didn't dare move. He could tell the others about this moment when it was over, he saw no sense in interrupting it. Especially since Carlos unconsciously started tracing what felt like infinity signs on Jay's skin.

* * *

Without stories of the days leading up to the attack left to tell, the group had some time freed up after their hospital visits. Audrey had the chance to record video for the second time in the same afternoon. Except now, she was on the other side of the camera.

Front and center, standing between her girlfriend and Lonnie. Together, the three of them ran through the choreography they'd come up with to perform at the first tourney game without Carlos. Evie did them the favor of filming. She'd asked Mal to come along, but she was busy turning their room upside down to try to find her spellbook.

The dancers went through the routine multiple times, as Evie captured different angles. After that, they moved at half the speed, and broke the dance down step by step.

Hours of work went into reenacting the number, even on such a small scale. Without grass stains and dirt clouds from the field's sidelines to show them where they made their mark, the girls had to trust in their soreness and sweat.

Audrey thought the hard part was over, having had a shower and a change. All that was left to do -aside from editing- was sit down, relax and record an intro. When it came time for that, she hardly knew what to say. This was her challenge, she had to show that she was up for it.

Her dance partners and camerawoman stayed around for moral support. Lonnie gave a double thumbs up, Evie sent her an encouraging smile, and Jane had her eyes locked. "You can do this." The words were aimed at Audrey, but she took them to heart for herself. She'd reached a decision. She knew how she'd be spending the following day.

Audrey cleared her throat, mindful that could be cut out of the video. Then she waved in the camera's direction. "Hey there AuraTubers, I'm Audrey. My friends and I put this dance together for someone very special to us, and I got quite a few _dozen_ comments asking if we could make a tutorial." The expression on her face showed she was still in disbelief about that. She hadn't done this for her own recognition. But it had a hand in people turning up to visit Carlos, so she wasn't going to ignore the feedback. Especially not if it could help him. "So, here it is. This one's for you, Carlos. Get well soon."

* * *

An enhanced image of Carlos' scar was held up to the wall in the evidence room. The team watched as Dr. Porter slid the laminate paper across both maps, to see where the lines overlapped. "What's this meant to show us?" One of them asked, not bringing her attention off what was in front of her.

"Where his head is. Why he won't wake."

 _Won't_ was the proper description. At this point, given his brain activity, Carlos was about a day shy of opening his eyes. If he was fighting that, it meant there was something he didn't want to see.

The doctor gasped as she found her match, blindly reaching for a marker. She put it between her teeth, using her one free hand to take the cap off. She let it fall to the floor as she wrote out her findings.

She marked her makeshift map with one lone X, and wrote out an address along the bottom of it.

As the words appeared, the team's jaws dropped. A theory was confirmed, and a question was raised.

But before anyone could vocalize it, Carlos' monitor sounded. The team ran to check on him.

He was still making waves. He still had yet to wake. But something his mind's eye made him see was enough to make him thrash.

* * *

 _Having no concept of time put Carlos under pressure to act fast. He tore through his old stomping grounds, looking for something -anything- that didn't belong. He took too wide a turn around a railing, expecting to find someone sitting beside it._

 _This made him lose his footing, and he nearly hit his head on one of the steps. Those who noticed didn't even laugh. In fact, if he hadn't scrambled to his feet in such a hurry he was half convinced someone might've offered him help to get up._

 _He slid open the chain link gate, which took a lot more effort for two hands than it did for eight. He didn't notice though, hopped up on adrenaline. He went under a clothesline, nearly getting knocked over again by those using it. But this didn't slow him down._

 _He had no plans to stop anytime soon, but being surrounded by pipes he swore he felt like he could taste the metal. A bad feeling washed over him, and not the kind he felt when he was up to no good. He suddenly didn't know where to go, and looked around him for a way out._

 _There was light at both ends of the tunnel, but that brought no end to his emotional turmoil._

 _Carlos turned his head to take in his surroundings, and saw something wedged between the pipes. Whatever it was, its presence was no coincidence. This move had been calculated._

 _Carlos pressed himself against the wall of pipes and pulled at the object. The dried mud held it in place there like glue. So he dug into it, dirtying his nails. He could see the cracks forming, and watched as what may well have been his last clue to finding out what was happening to him fell at his feet._

 _How ironic._

 _Carlos stared, slightly mystified, before picking the object up. It was muddied and misshapen, but he still could place it. Where from didn't exactly compute. His brain felt like it was breaking as his shaking hands held onto a single spiked cleat._

* * *

The map Jafar had drawn up was littered with X's. Each one showed an increased level of frustration. Going by Grimhilde's glance, she was dismayed by the sight. But he nearly tore the map in half because his idea looked like nothing but a waste of time from the angle he saw it at.

"We've been through every vacant house on the Isle. How can that be?" He must've missed something.

"Maybe we underestimated the Auradonians."

"No." To him, she was blameless. "The plan was mine to begin with. _I'm_ the one who steered us wrong."

"You were only thinking logically looking in places no one lives." The Evil Queen countered. "Who would want to harbor…"

She trailed off, so he finished her thought for her. "A bunch of criminals?" Even though the attackers had lived in Auradon up until now, that didn't change what they'd done. That sort of thing earned them a spot on the Isle. No wonder they fled to it. They were right where they belonged, Jafar just hadn't figured out exactly where that was yet. "That's all anyone here is." He didn't notice how hurt she looked by those words, taking them personally. He was still ranting about how he'd fallen short of completing his mission. The Evil Queen could hear in his tone that he was ready to give it up. "Why did I think that I could be anything different? And why did I drag you into my delusion?"

"It's not a delusion." Grimhilde disagreed. "Our children changed. That means we can, too. I'm lucky you convinced me to do this. Where would I be without you?" She looked like she'd said a sentence too much, but he was too mad at himself to notice the meaning behind it.

"Home."

She didn't want to go back there. "It's lonely in that empty castle. I'd rather be out here, helping you do something that makes a difference."

He laughed harshly. "But _we_ haven't done that."

"Sure we have." To back that claim up, she pointed out. "The knights had more evidence because of us."

"Because of _you_." Jafar didn't think he'd done anything worthwhile. "You're the one who found the fabric." She also was the one to see it was a match for her makeshift pillow.

"I wouldn't have had anything to compare it to if it hadn't been for what was in your shop."

"It's not enough." If it had been, they would have who they were hunting down already.

"It has to lead somewhere."

He shook his head. She misunderstood. "What if none of it's enough? What if the girl with good ears was right?" He remembered what Niraya said now. And he still wanted to do this as a way to get their kids to come back to them. "What if we can't learn?"

" _Learn_." The Evil Queen echoed under her breath. "That's it! Jafar, you genius…"

 **Thanks for reading, PLEASE REVIEW! Let me know of any ideas/questions/corrections you have.**

 **And feel free to tell me your thoughts on Descendants 2. I'll update ASAP!**


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